Unexpected Results II: In All the Empty Places
by Samuraiko
Summary: The chaos, mayhem, and irreverence of Professor Wordsworth's 'Unexpected Results' continue! Chap 17: Johanna is heading into an RCO trap at Sacre-Couer, and Abel faces a nightmarish repeat of Barcelona and Rome as he confronts van Kampfer in Notre Dame.
1. Prologue

_Note: For all of you who gleefully followed along with the smart-mouthed Sister, here we go again!_

_The title ("In All The Empty Places"), by the way, is a reference to an old blessing... "May God stand between you and harm in all the empty places where you must walk." By definition, the AX walks in some pretty empty places, and considering where this story is going to go (and the characters along with it), it seemed singularly appropriate._

* * *

**Unexpected Results II: In All the Empty Places**

_Prologue..._

Slowly, solemnly, they filed into the great cathedral, heads bowed and hands clasped. Some entered one at a time, others came in groups. The entire church was filled with candles, and flowers were draped or placed over almost every available surface.

Near the front of the church stood his Holiness, Pope Alessandro the Eighteenth, his young face filled with sorrow. To his left stood Cardinal Francesco de Medici, while to his right stood Cardinal Caterina Sforza. Francesco looked as stern and foreboding as ever, but Caterina's grief was more evident, and Alessandro turned to her in concern.

"Sister..." he whispered, laying a hand on her arm.

She shook her head slightly, and rested her hand on top of her younger brother's. "I will be fine, your Holiness. But... the service should begin soon." Almost defiantly, she tossed her head back, the thick blonde waves tumbling down her back as she blinked back her tears.

Then a low whispering filled the room, and all eyes turned toward the back of the cathedral.

Nine people stood there, pausing for just an instant before beginning the long, slow walk down the center aisle.

In front, walking abreast and bearing lit candles, came three nuns, two wearing white, the third in black. A few steps behind them, six black-clad priests moved slowly, a casket borne solemnly on their shoulders.

In the loft above, a choir began to sing, and the rich swelling tones of an organ filled the cathedral as the procession made its way down the aisle. The gathered members of the Vatican bowed their hands in prayer as Alessandro stepped forward, his hands spread in benediction, his eyes focused sadly on the casket.

His voice shaking, he began the Requiem mass in Latin, while the nuns moved to one side, and the priests set the casket down before the altar.

"_Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis. Te decet hymnus Deus, in Sion, et tibi reddetur votum in Ierusalem. Exaudi orationem meam; ad te omnis caro veniet. Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis..."_

As the priests straightened, the nuns moved so that each stood between two of the Fathers, then all nine knelt in unison, heads bowed, and several of them openly weeping.

As they knelt, Brother Petro and Sister Paula, in full Inquisitor regalia, shouldered their weapons and took their places on either end of the casket.

Letting her younger brother's words wash over her, Caterina swallowed hard at the sight of the nine before the casket. All of them were trying so hard not to completely break down at the loss of one of their own, but she could see that the effort was taking its toll.

On the far left was Hugue, tall and blond and solemn, his mouth a thin line as he stared down at the casket. Caterina knew how hard this was for him... as he had been the one to bring her back from Barcelona.

Next to him was Esther, openly crying. First to have lost Bishop Laura, and now this. Not for the first time did Caterina wonder at the fairness of God's choosing on when, and how, His faithful were called home.

On her other side was Tres, one of the only ones not weeping. But even the cyborg seemed somber as he stared forward. The Cardinal momentarily wondered what was going through his mind as he knelt with the others before her gaze moved on.

Beside Tres knelt Abel. The poor man looked lost in a daze, as though he couldn't believe that this was actually happening. His lips were moving in silent prayer, but Caterina couldn't quite make out the words. Unlike Tres, she was almost certain she knew what was going through Abel's mind, and wished with all her heart that there was something she could do for him.

At Abel's side was Johanna, tears streaming down her pale face. The doctors had not cleared her to leave the hospital, but the Sister had defied them to attend.

Beside Johanna was Vaclav... dear Vaclav. With his hands clasped, and his face covered with tears, once again Caterina was struck by his resemblance to the weeping Christ that hung above the altar.

Next to Vaclav was William. The Professor's face was solemn as he contemplated the casket, then he sighed and bowed his head once more.

On William's right was Kate. The hologram was sobbing, her face hidden in her hands as she cried. The loss of her friend was hitting her hard, even through her typical Albion reserve.

On the far right was Leon, for once properly attired and clean-shaven. He didn't weep, but his jaw was clenched tightly, as were his fists, and his eyes were closed.

The Mass seemed to last forever, but the nine surviving AX members never moved from their place before the casket until the very end, when the other Vatican members came forth to pay their own final respects. When that happened, Hugue, Esther, Tres, Abel, and Johanna moved to stand at one end of the casket, while Vaclav, William, Kate, and Leon moved to the other.

Soon the casket was covered in flowers from those who had come forward, and then the rest of the congregation filed out, leaving only the Pope, the Cardinals, the two Inquisitors, and the nine AX members.

Francesco studied them for a moment, as though deciding whether or not he should speak.

"My sympathies to each of you in your time of loss," he said at last, his eyes moving over the group. Then he stalked out, his robes sweeping around him as he left. Brother Petro and Sister Paula bowed first to the Pope, then to Cardinal Caterina, and lastly to the AX members before turning and following Francesco out of the cathedral.

Alessandro swallowed and then addressed the AX members. "I... I am sorry..." he stammered quietly, then his own tears spilled over. "I'm so sorry..."

Nodding to his sister and to the others gathered, he took his own leave.

Silence fell over the cathedral as now only the AX members and their leader remained.

"We will keep vigil tonight," Caterina said quietly. "One each hour until dawn. At that time..." She did not go on, but they knew what she meant. Tomorrow at dawn, the casket would be borne down to the sacred catacombs beneath the Vatican.

The AX members nodded, and Abel moved to once again kneel before the casket, while the other eight prepared to leave. Caterina hesitated for a moment, then she rested her hand on Abel's shoulder.

The priest looked up at her, and Caterina could see the anguish in his eyes. He opened his mouth as though to speak, then closed it again, shook his head, and faced the casket once more.

The others fell in step behind Caterina as she made her way up the aisle and out of the cathedral.

All except Johanna, who knelt beside Abel and put her arm around his shoulders.

"You should go," he said softly, not looking at her. "You're still not recovered."

"I may not be able to help the dead, Father Abel... but I can help the living."

Abel turned to her then, his eyes burning brightly behind his tears.

"Let it go, Father," she whispered, her own voice breaking, not bothering to hold back her own tears. "Let her go..."

And she held him tightly as he collapsed in her arms, sobbing a name over and over and over again.

"Noelle..."

_To be continued_...


	2. A Time for Mourning, A Time for Action

_Note: Sorry this story is taking longer for me to post... between John's cold, John's allergies, and MY cold, I have been a bit preoccupied for the last week or so. But here we go!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part I**

Johanna sat on her hospital bed, her legs drawn up to her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs, and stared morosely at her computer screen without actually seeing it. Her hair tumbled disheveled around her shoulders, her face was paler than normal, and her eyes had dark circles beneath them.

She glanced up as Father Vaclav stopped in the doorway of her room. "Oh... Father. What's up?"

"Just checking on you. I know you stayed for both Father Abel's vigil as well as your own. I was concerned about you overtiring yourself after your recent ordeal."

Johanna shrugged and looked away. "It's nothing."

The priest sighed and came into the room, taking a seat at the foot of her bed, resting one hand on hers. "Are you all right?"

She shrugged again and picked up a glass of water from her bedside table, taking a sip before turning back to him again. "I can't help wondering if there was something more I could have done to stop the Rosencreutz... both in Barcelona and here."

"How?" he asked her incredulously. "You were lucky to come back from Antwerp alive, and everything happened so fast after that. You shouldn't-"

Father Vaclav's words stopped as his eyes dropped to Johanna's hand, where he could see it trembling, the water sloshing back and forth in the glass. She frowned, then her eyes followed his, and she cursed softly as she set the glass back on the bedside table with more force than was necessary. Then she dropped her head into her hands and sighed.

"You're right, Father. I shouldn't be angry with myself, but I am." Then she looked up at him through her tangled veil of hair. "But I will find them. And when I do, I _will_ make them pay."

"I believe you," he said soberly, lightly brushing her hair back from her face. "But don't push yourself too hard. Her Eminence noticed your pallor earlier this evening and commented on it to me. Try and get some rest."

Johanna laughed bitterly. "As if I could sleep."

"That's why I said '_try_,'" the priest said, his voice chiding yet gentle as he got up. "Do you need anything?"

"An idea on when they'll release me from the medical wing would be nice," she answered, flopping back on her bed. "Hospital food is a great way to lose weight, but I think I've had all I can take of the invalid treatment."

In spite of himself, Father Vaclav grinned. "That's the spirit we've all come to know and love. I'll talk to the doctors, see what I can get out of them. Good night, Sister."

As he was leaving, though, he nearly ran into Father Leon. "Leon... what brings you here?"

"Same thing as you, checking up on Johanna," Leon said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes. "Don't worry, I won't keep her awake long."

Vaclav nodded, waved goodbye to Johanna, and left, leaving Leon alone in the room with her.

"So what's on _your_ mind?" she asked tiredly, rolling over to face him as he dropped into the chair beside her bed.

Leon didn't say anything, but he reached into the pocket of his robes and drew out a long golden chain, on which hung a silver and gold ring.

Johanna stared at it for a moment, then her eyes widened as she sat up abruptly. "My ring!" Her hand flashed to her throat instinctively. "God, in all the confusion I thought I'd lost it! Oh, _thank_ you!"

But as her hand closed around it, Leon saw her eyes suddenly fill with tears, and she held it close to her chest as she bowed her head and swallowed hard.

"T-thank you, Father Leon."

"You were married, weren't you. Before you arrived here." It wasn't a question, and Johanna nodded slowly. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"Father Abel thought it would be best if I kept it a secret," she said softly, still not looking at him. "It would be hard to explain a married nun, after all." Her hands shook as she tried to undo the clasp of the chain, and Leon took the necklace back from her. As he opened the clasp, she turned so that her back was to him and lifted her long hair up from her neck, and he carefully fastened it again for her so that the chain and the ring hung around her neck once more.

Johanna looked down at the ring that rested over her heart, then she moved it so that it lay inside her hospital gown.

"Do... do the others know?" she asked, turning to look at him again.

Leon shook his head. "No. I figured if you didn't tell them, you had good reason not to." Then he gave a chuckle. "At least that explains why you didn't have a problem sharing a bed with me and Abel in Antwerp."

"Like I said, I'd seen it all before, and done a lot of it, too." Abruptly she grinned at him, but it faded quickly. Suddenly tired, she rubbed her hands together, trying to warm them, and she lay back down again, staring up at the ceiling.

Leon waited for a moment to see if she would say anything else, then he got to his feet to leave. But as he glanced back down at her, he could see tears slowly sliding down her temples.

"What is it?" he asked, and she turned her head to avoid looking at him.

"It's stupid, but... I was just thinking. Back in Antwerp, sleeping next to you and to Father Abel... I didn't realize how much I missed being held as I sleep. It wasn't about... about sex, or anything like that. It was... it w-was..."

"Johanna-"

She waved one hand at him dismissively. "Ignore me. Good night, Father Leon."

Leon glanced toward the open door, then he reached out and closed it. He turned off the overhead lights, then the small lamp beside the bed, and stretched out behind her on the hospital bed.

"W-what are you-" she asked, startled, but then Leon carefully pulled her closer so that she rested in the curve of his body.

"You're not alone, Johanna," he admitted to her in the darkness. "Now, sleep. We have an early day tomorrow."

He heard a suspicious sniffle, then she turned over so that she was facing him, wrapped one arm around his waist, and hid her face against his chest.

But just as he was falling asleep, he was startled to hear a soft chuckle from Johanna.

"What are you laughing at?" he asked her, but he felt her shake her head.

"Just my luck... a hot guy and me, in bed together, and I'm an invalid, he's a priest, and we're in the middle of a Vatican hospital. God has a _wicked_ sense of humour."

And with that, she fell asleep.

* * *

"Good morning, Sister Johanna, I was just- _LEON_!" Sister Kate let out a loud shriek of surprise as she fully appeared in the hospital room, and Father Leon and Johanna both jerked backward, startled, and promptly crashed to the floor on either side of the bed. 

Twin groans of "Owwwwwww" echoed around the room, although Johanna recovered first and started laughing at the outraged look on the hologram's face.

"Oh, relax, Sister Kate, nothing happened." The nun climbed back onto the bed and pushed her long hair back from her face. "What's up, other than us now?"

Kate's mouth opened and closed a few times as she regained her composure, then she straightened her shoulders and glared at Father Leon. "I was looking for Leon, but I _certainly_ didn't expect to find him here like _THIS_!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Leon grumbled, getting to his feet and stretching. "So what's all the ruckus about?"

"Her Eminence was looking for you; she wants more details on that thing you fought when you and the other priests arrested Archbishop d'Este."

"What's more to tell? It was huge, pink, and disgusting!" Leon began, but a glare from Kate had him subsiding, and he slouched out of the room, still grumbling, leaving Johanna laughing behind him.

Kate, however, saw no humour in the situation. "Honestly, Sister, you shouldn't encourage that kind of behavior."

"Why not?" the other nun said with a shrug. "Like I said, nothing happened." Then she grinned wickedly. "Not that I would have _minded_, but..." She laughed again at the hologram's horrified expression. "Oh, come on, Sister Kate, relax."

"Well, if nothing else, I'm glad to see you're in a better mood than you were yesterday," Kate admitted.

"So what brings you here, other than hunting down Father Felon?"

That startled a laugh out of Kate, who quickly stifled it as she moved to stand next to Johanna's computer. "We've confiscated the Silent Noise system that the Archbishop had hidden in the obelisk. It's been scanned thoroughly, and is now in one of our warehouses. Her Eminence asked if you'd take a look at it and see what you can come up with as far as technical specs go."

Johanna nodded and reached for her robes. "Sure, not a problem. Any chance she can spare someone to help me? Father Abel would be best, he's the only other one who really knows technology, or Father William, for that matter."

"The Professor is actually already there and waiting for you," Kate said with the familiar disapproving look she wore whenever she was discussing Father Wordsworth.

"Cool," Johanna said, getting to her feet, but she momentarily swayed and had to catch at the railing to keep her balance.

"Be careful," Kate warned, instinctively reaching for the nun even though she couldn't have actually caught her. "You're still not fully recovered yet."

"Don't remind me," the auburn-haired sister sighed, then she looked down at herself. "Let me take a shower first and get cleaned up, then I'll meet Father William in the warehouse."

"Will you be able to walk all the way there?" Kate asked in concern.

"I'll take it slow, don't worry. I'm not going to let this beat me-" she let go of the railing and swayed again, and was forced to grab hold of the back of a chair - "not much, anyway."

"I'll have one of the nurses come and help you," Kate offered, de-rezzing before Johanna could argue, and the nun dropped tiredly into the chair.

"No..." she murmured to herself. "I won't let them beat me."

_To be continued_...


	3. Science and Sacred Vows

_Note: Sorry it took so long for me to post the next chapter... getting clobbered by a bronchial infection REALLY puts a damper on things (my creativity works just fine... my concentration took a major hike). Anyway, since so many people commented on a certain issue last chapter, I decided to run with the concept in this one. And it really does lend itself to some interesting questions... enjoy!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part II**

Cardinal Caterina heard the faint knock on her office door, and without looking up, called out, "Enter."

"You wanted to see me, your Eminence?" Father Leon asked, closing the door behind him and closing the distance to stand before her desk. Glancing up, she could see that Leon was looking slightly flustered, one hand disheveling his hair, the other clenching and unclenching at his side. Not for the first time, Caterina had the distinct impression of Leon as an unruly schoolboy being called on the carpet for some misbehavior or another.

"Yes, Father Leon." Caterina set aside her pen and leaned back in her chair to study the priest for a few moments. "Do you know why I asked you to come see me?"

"Sister Kate said you wanted more info on that magical thing that Archbishop d'Este summoned."

"Yes… but before we get to that, another matter has come to my attention that I believe we should discuss."

"And that is?"

"What _exactly_ happened between you and Sister Johanna last night?"

Leon took an instinctive and startled step backward. "Nothing!"

"Is that so?" Caterina glanced to her left, and Sister Kate's hologram rezzed into existence.

"What the hell are you thinking, carrying rumours to her like that?" Leon said fiercely to Kate, forgetting where he was for a moment, but a frosty glare from the Cardinal quieted him.

"Even if nothing happened, Father, it was _most_ unbecoming for a priest and a nun to be sharing a bed, especially in the middle of the Vatican!"

"For _your_ information, it was because Johanna was missing her-"

He immediately bit off the words and turned away, and Caterina and Kate exchanged a look.

"What were you going to say?" Caterina finally asked.

"I'd rather not say, your Eminence."

"I don't care what you'd rather not say, Father Leon. What were you going to say?"

Leon lifted his gaze heavenward in silent apology to Johanna. "She was missing her husband."

"Husband?!" Caterina burst out, shocked. "She's married?!"

Leon nodded, and Caterina sat back in her chair, stunned.

"But… why did she never say anything?" the Cardinal whispered at last. "First to be pulled through time, but then to be _widowed_ as a result…"

"Apparently it was Father Abel's idea," Leon admitted reluctantly. "But she wears her wedding ring on a chain beneath her robes. I didn't find out myself until she was abducted in Antwerp, when we found her necklace on the terrace of Count Memling's estate." Then he paused, and shook his head slowly. "No, that's not exactly true. Four-Eyes _did_ let it slip, the night before Johanna's inquisition. But I don't think any of us there that night really realized what he meant."

Caterina's mind was whirling as she stared at Father Leon. "And… last night?"

Leon groaned. "When the three of us were in Antwerp, she had to share a bed with me and Father Abel, one night with him, one night with me. NOTHING happened either night, but even at the time, I'd thought it odd that she was so comfortable with the notion of sharing a bed with a man. But given how she flirts-"

"And that she does," Kate murmured.

"Even so, with all she's been through, she just desperately needed someone to hold her. Is that so wrong?"

"That's not for you to decide," Caterina said coldly, half-rising from her chair to stare at Leon. "Johanna's true identity _has_ to be kept a secret, and if the fact that she's married is part of that identity, we can't have that truth revealed, either."

With that, she sat back down and rubbed her eyes tiredly. "However, of all of the AX agents, you are the only one who understands how she feels."

Leon fidgeted uncomfortably, and Caterina sighed. " I will trust you when you say that nothing happened, either last night or while you three were in Antwerp. But I must admit, this is a complication I could have dealt without."

"Is it really _that_ big of a deal?" Leon asked.

"They say you don't miss what you've never had. I doubt _very_ much that the statement applies to her."

"Eminence!" Kate gasped, shocked.

"Sister Kate, please ask Father Nightroad to join us here. I need to ask him something."

* * *

Moving awkwardly on the crutches provided to her by the medical staff, Johanna made her way into the warehouse where Father William was waiting for her. 

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Professor," she called out, and the priest turned from where he'd been studying the machine, idly puffing on his pipe.

"Ah, there you are. Glad to see you're up and around again, even if you have to use…" He gestured with his pipe at her crutches, and she shrugged.

"I've had worse. So, this is the Silent Noise machine, hmm?" She moved closer, Father William at her side in case she needed him, and craned her head to look at the thing. To allow them to investigate it from all angles, after it had been removed from the obelisk, the Silent Noise system had been placed on a large steel support system several feet up from the floor. At William's request, the organ had been left attached to it. "Makes you wonder why they called it that. I mean, anything that uses sound as a weapon can hardly be called 'silent.'"

"No idea, but after hearing what this machine did to Barcelona, and then what it nearly did to Rome, it warrants a serious investigation, regardless of how inappropriate the name might be," William reproved her.

"I know, I know," she sighed, running one hand through her hair and frowning up at the device. "How much do you know about the science of acoustics?"

"A bit," he said modestly, and she grinned at him.

"Good, you can give me a refresher course while we work. My brain is making connections here, but I need someone to separate science from supposition. However…" She pointed at the pipe he was smoking. "That _has_ to go."

"My dear, I happen to think better with a pipe," he protested, taking an alarmed step away from her as though expecting her to snatch it away from him. She sighed and gave up.

"Well, then, let's get cracking. Is there a toolbox anywhere around here?"

He pointed to where one was placed near the side of the metal framework, and she opened it and began rummaging through it. "Are you looking for anything in particular?"

The nun shrugged off her cloak and pulled on a toolbelt that was in the box, then began attaching screwdrivers and other tools to the belt. "Well, anything that's too high-tech for me to use, I won't bother with. I'll leave that stuff to you."

Johanna leaned her crutches against the side of the machine, rolled up her sleeves, took hold of one of the crossbeams above her head, and hauled herself up onto the support framework.

"Careful!" he warned her, instinctively moving to catch her if she fell, but she only laughed at him.

"Oh, stop worrying and toss me up a flashlight."

* * *

"Yes, your Eminence?" Father Abel arrived at the Cardinal's office looking puzzled and a bit apprehensive. "You wanted to see me?" 

"Father Nightroad, of all the AX members, I think you're the one who's to come to know Sister Johanna the best. I need to ask you something about her."

"Of course, Eminence," he said slowly, looking from the Cardinal to Father Leon and back again.

"Would you consider her to be… a woman of her word?"

"Yes," he replied without a moment of hesitation, and Caterina arched her eyebrows.

"You're that certain?"

"Yes, your Eminence. If Johanna made a promise, she'd do everything in her power to keep it."

Caterina leaned back in her chair and looked at Abel thoughtfully. The priest's eyes were filled with certainty, and she slowly nodded to herself.

"Then tell me this, Father Abel… do you think Johanna still considers herself bound to her marriage vows?"

Abel blinked, confused, then his expression cleared as he looked over at Father Leon again. Leon gave him a barely perceptible nod.

"Are you questioning her fidelity to her husband, or her ability to restrain her... carnal desires?"

"Perhaps both," Caterina admitted.

"With all due respect, my lady," Abel said softly, meeting the Cardinal's eyes unflinchingly, "you should ask her that yourself. But as far as I'm concerned, although she may joke about it and laugh, I don't think there is anything that could make Johanna unfaithful to her husband."

"And what if she can _never_ return to her own time?" Sister Kate asked from where she stood beside Caterina. "She would be considered a single woman, both in the eyes of the Church and in the law."

Abel turned away and moved to stand near the window, staring idly out over the grounds of the Vatican.

"Until that fact were proven beyond a shadow of a doubt, I honestly think that Johanna would consider herself married, no matter _how_ long she remained here."

He turned to look at Caterina and Kate over his shoulder. "However, in the end, it is _your_ decision how to handle this, your Eminence."

"Even if that means swearing Sister Johanna to a vow of chastity?" Caterina asked softly.

"Even then," Abel said evenly. "She may not like it, but she would do it for you."

"I know. And that's the damnable part of it all." Caterina sighed and looked away, then her eyes met Abel's again. "I will trust in your judgment of her, Father Abel. As for your behavior last night, while your concern for her was commendable, Father Leon, it is not to be repeated within the confines of the Vatican. Make certain she understands that as well, and the reasons why."

"Yes, your Eminence," Leon said quietly, looking down at the floor.

"That will be all."

Abel and Leon both bowed and left, and a few moments later, Kate returned to the Iron Maiden, leaving Caterina alone in her office. For a long time, the Cardinal was silent, then she got up and moved to stare out the window out onto the gardens of the Vatican.

"I wonder how it feels..." she murmured to herself, her arms instinctively going around herself. Then she shook her head as though to clear away such thoughts, and returned to her paperwork.

_To be continued_...


	4. An Instrument of Death

_Note: And here we go again... although I was more than a little irritated about something that someone pointed out about my story. There is a technicality that must be investigated, so if you would be so kind, please visit the Trinity Blood forum on the FanFiction site called 'Of the Church and the Undead,' and look for the thread started by me. If you can help with the research, please do so!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part III**

"Most interesting..." Johanna muttered, lightly tapping at the bells while she held the flashlight between her teeth. Then she pulled the flashlight out of her mouth and called down to the Professor, who was poking around the underside of the Silent Noise machine. "Hey, Father William!"

"Hmmm?"

"Among your innumerable talents, does one of them happen to be perfect pitch?"

"Unfortunately, no," he admitted ruefully.

"Drat," she sighed, shoving the flashlight back between her teeth and rummaging around in her pockets. "I dn't spps y hppn t hv rcrdr?"

"What was that?!" he asked her, moving underneath the frame until he could see where she was half-lying on her back in the middle of the machine's framework, peering up into it.

"Srry," she said indistinctly, removing the flashlight again. "I said, 'I don't suppose you happen to have a recorder'?"

"You could probably use your communicator to record the sound," he told her, waving his pipe toward her head, and saw her grimace in the dim light.

"I should have thought of that," she grumbled sheepishly.

"It's all right," he chuckled. "Tap it twice to record."

She did so, then spoke. "Beginning with the bell located directly in the center, then proceeding outward in clockwise fashion." Johanna stuck the flashlight back in her mouth, lifted the screwdriver in her hand, then one by one, she lightly struck each of the bells with the screwdriver, pausing after each one for the sound to completely die away. After several minutes, she removed the flashlight again, and said, "Done." She tapped the communicator twice again and heard it beep, then she heard Sister Kate's voice in her ear.

"_Yes, Sister Johanna_?"

"Hi, Sister Kate, could you please download the file I just recorded into the terminal in my room?"

"_Give me just a moment... done_."

"Thanks, Kate, I appreciate it."

"_So what's the file, if you don't mind me asking_?"

Johanna shrugged, forgetting that Kate couldn't see her. "Just an idea on acoustic theory. You never know when information might come in handy."

"_I gather you've managed not to kill the Professor so far_," Kate said tartly, and Johanna laughed.

"So far, so good, although I still can't get him to put out that pipe of his."

"_Don't bother... you'll never succeed. Kate out_."

Johanna chuckled again, then pulled herself further up into the Silent Noise mechanism, whistling as she did so.

"Father William, got another question for you..."

"What?"

"How is this thing activated? Does someone actually have to sit at the organ and _play_ the thing?"

William peered up at her from where he was studying the construction of the organ's internal pipes as they passed among the bells.

"As far as we know, yes. It wasn't until Archbishop d'Este started to play the organ that the bells started to ring." He stood on tiptoe and shone his own flashlight up into the heart of the organ. "But I don't see any additional mechanism on the organ itself to trigger the bells."

"You mean like pedals or keys or stops or anything." Johanna's voice was faintly muffled as she twisted around to lie on her stomach so she could follow the path of the organ pipes.

"Exactly."

"So... it would imply that there's some frequency of sound that triggers the bells, and thus the rest of the system." She sighed, then let out a violent sneeze after accidentally inhaling a faceful of dust.

William chuckled and passed her a handkerchief.

"You're probably right... each sound resonates at a unique frequency, and depending on the chord, you might be able to create a crossharmonic resonance."

Johanna frowned, then activated her communicator again. "Sister Kate? Can you patch me in to Father Abel?"

A moment later, she heard Abel's voice in her ear. "_Yes, Johanna_?"

"Father, can you meet me and Father William down in the warehouse? I have a few questions about the Silent Noise system that you might be able to answer."

There was a long pause, then Abel replied quietly, "_Yes... yes, I'll be there shortly_."

"Thanks, Father," she said softly. "Johanna out."

"What did you have in mind?" William asked her.

"I'm wondering if he happened to hear what was played in Barcelona when the system destroyed the city."

William frowned and puffed on his pipe, making Johanna cough and wave her hand in front of her face, only to stir up more dust. "Father Havel might know as well. He was the one to apprehend the Archbishop here in Rome while the system was still active."

"Good idea," she coughed, then relayed a request through Kate for Father Havel to join her as well.

* * *

A few minutes later, Abel and Vaclav arrived, and spotted the Professor standing beneath the open structure of the Silent Noise sytem, making notes about the pattern of the internal workings of the system. 

"Hello, Professor," Abel called out, then he stopped and frowned. "Where's Johanna?"

"Is that Abel?" he heard a muffled voice say from within the machine, followed by a faint scuffling sound, a dull clang, and a howl of pain before Johanna came tumbling down out from the inside of the Silent Noise machine in a cloud of dust to land in a swearing heap on the floor.

"JOHANNA!" Abel shouted, dashing forward to help her up, Vaclav and William right behind him.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow _OW_!" She rubbed the side of her head and winced. "Stupid bell..."

"Are you all right?" Vaclav asked in concern, dusting her off as she got to her feet with Abel's help. His eyes went wide when he saw the bruise on her temple, and he pulled her hand away to look at it more closely.

"Yeah, yeah, I just forgot where I was and sat up too fast." She swayed a bit on her feet, then glared up into the inner workings of the system. "Damn thing... just one more reason to take the stupid thing apart bolt by bolt."

"Yes, well, perhaps would be a good time to take a short break," William said diplomatically, and the priests led Johanna to a nearby crate where she could sit.

"Oh, please, stop fawning over me, I'm not going to break just because I clocked my head," she grumbled, waving them away.

"You could have given yourself a concussion," Abel fretted, prodding at the bruise until Johanna took a swing at him with one of her crutches.

"I'm going to give _you_ one if you keep poking it!" she yelped.

"Anyway, you wanted to see us?" Vaclav asked, trying to hide a grin.

"Yeah." Johanna pointed to the organ where it was attached to the Silent Noise system. "When the Silent Noise system was activated... do either of you remember what was played on the organ?"

Vaclav thought for a few moments, then shook his head. "Not exactly, no. It was a fairly long piece, and somewhat complicated. It wasn't just a series of single notes, or just one or two chords." He glanced up at the organ. "And it wasn't a piece I recognized."

Johanna sighed, then looked over at Abel. As she opened her mouth to speak, however, she was struck by the look of pain on his face as he stared up at the Silent Noise system, his hands clenched into fists at his side.

All of a sudden, it hit her just how difficult this must be for the priest, to be staring at the instrument of the destruction of Barcelona... the near destruction of Rome... and Sister Noelle's death. Mentally she damned herself for having to put him through this, but she knew that there was no other way to get the information she and the Professor needed so badly.

"I'm sorry, Abel... I know this must be hard for you," she said quietly. "But the more we understand about what happened, the better our chances of preventing it from happening again."

Moving slowly, as though afraid of startling him, she rested her hand on his arm, and Abel glanced down at her.

"I know..." he said, his voice low. "I... I don't know what the piece was, but I remember parts of it."

"How much?" Johanna reached for her crutches and made her way back to the framework where the machine was.

"Wait!" William protested, catching Johanna by the arm as she passed him. "We haven't disconnected the organ from the system yet, if you hit the right combination, even by mistake, you could trigger the system!"

"There might be another way..." Vaclav said slowly. "When Hugue brought Noelle's body back from Barcelona, he said she'd been found still holding documents."

Abel flinched, and Johanna lightly squeezed his arm.

Vaclav went on, turning to stare up at the Silent Noise system. "It may be that the information you need is in those documents."

"Who has them now?" William asked.

"Her Eminence does, I believe."

Johanna nodded. "Then I guess our next stop is Cardinal Caterina's office." Turning, she moved lightly using her crutches across the warehouse toward the door, then she glanced back over her shoulder at the three priests. "You guys coming or what?"

* * *

"Sister Johanna... glad to see you're up and about." Caterina smiled and gestured Johanna to a seat, and the nun carefully lowered herself into the chair, propping her crutches at her side. Abel and William stood on either side of Johanna, while Vaclav took his usual place beside Caterina. Then Caterina took a closer look at Johanna and frowned. "But how did you get that bruise?" 

Johanna grimaced self-consciously, rubbing at the bruise on her temple. "I whacked my head when I wasn't paying attention to what I was doing... it's nothing serious, just me being my usual klutzy self."

"I see..." Caterina took a sip of her tea to hide her smile. "Well, you'll want to take more care. I just received word from the doctors that they're ready to clear you for release. You will, of course, have to continue your follow-up visits, but you can return to your quarters in the women's dormitory whenever you're ready."

"Thank God for that." Johanna grinned as well, but then her smile faded. "Um... would you happen to have access to the documents that were found with Noelle on the Silent Noise system?"

The Cardinal nodded slowly, and carefully removed a folder from a drawer in her desk. She slid the folder across the desk to Johanna, who opened it and began leafing through the documents inside.

"I'm afraid there's not much there," Caterina said apologetically.

"True," Johanna admitted, handing a few of the papers to Father William to look at as well. Then she looked up to meet Caterina's gaze, and the Cardinal was startled at the spark of anger and determination she saw in the nun's eyes. "But it's a start."

_To be continued_...


	5. Understanding One Another

_Note: Sorry it took me a while to get back to this, things have been absolutely chaotic at work. But on the bright side, the dear Sister now has her own LiveJournal community! Swing by my profile for the link! (There's also a poll on there, as well as a current drabble challenge, for the creatively minded.)_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part IV**

Sister Esther carefully opened the door to the warehouse and peered in. "Hello?"

It was surprisingly quiet, but she could tell by the faint odor of tobacco that the Professor was in here somewhere, so she wandered over to the Silent Noise system and called out again, "Hello? Father Wordsworth? Sister Johanna?"

"Just a moment," she heard indistinctly, then William appeared on top of the machine where he'd been hidden by the organ. "Ah, Sister Esther. Sorry, how can I help you?"

"Well, you and Sister Johanna missed dinner, so I brought you both something to eat." Esther held up a tray, and William smiled broadly.

"That's very considerate of you, Sister, thank you."

"You're welcome," Esther replied with a smile of her own as she approached. Then she stopped and looked around. "Where's Johanna?"

"Medical wing, her Eminence insisted on getting the bruise on her head looked at."

"Bruise? Did she injure herself?"

The Professor shrugged as he climbed down from the framework. "Well, when Father Abel and Father Vaclav came by before, she hit her head on one of the bells inside the Silent Noise system and fell. Nothing _too_ serious, but in her current physical state, the Cardinal felt it was better to be safe than sorry."

He reached out and took the tray from her with a nod of thanks, then set it on a crate, sat down, and began to eat. Esther, however, remained standing, twisting her hands and looking uncomfortable.

"Um... Father Wordsworth? Can I ask you something?"

"Of course." He gestured to the crate, and she slowly took a seat beside him.

"It's... it's about Sister Johanna. I... I was just wondering..." She hesitated, then all at once she blurted out, "I was wondering why her Eminence would send her on assignment with so little training. After all, she and I arrived here at almost the same time, and..."

Her voice trailed off, and William sat back and looked at her intently.

"And you're wondering why her Eminence has yet to send _you_ on assignment."

Esther nodded.

"Well, for one thing, there's the matter of her skill with languages, and her research abilities. Considering the reason the AX was being dispatched to Antwerp, she was the most logical choice to accompany Father Nightroad and Father de Asturias. For another thing... Johanna is almost twice your age. She may be new to the Vatican, but she has a great deal more of real life experience to draw on. In the field, that maturity can be extremely useful."

There was no arguing that fact, but William could tell that Esther still wasn't entirely convinced of the matter.

"Is it that you're jealous of Sister Johanna?"

"No!" Esther said, shocked, but then she paused. "Well... maybe a little... but I mean..."

"Consider this, Sister. Shortly after she arrived, Johanna attracted the ire of the Inquisitorial Department for something completely beyond her control. They put her on trial for her life, and she only escaped with our help. Cardinal Caterina felt it was best if Johanna temporarily left Rome to avoid any further confrontation with Cardinal Francesco over the matter."

"So why not temporarily assign her to a different parish for a little while and then bring her back when things died down?"

William sighed and took a sip of the tea that Esther had brought. "Because there are questions about Sister Johanna that her Eminence wants answered. And to do that, she needs her here, or at least under the auspices of the Vatican."

Esther looked confused. "Questions? About what?"

The Professor gazed at the girl levelly over the top of his teacup. "You and Sister Johanna haven't spoken often, have you?"

Esther shook her head. "No... no, we haven't. I don't know if it's because of her or because of me, but... I felt closer to Sister Noelle and Sister Kate than I do to Sister Johanna." She began twisting her skirt in her fingers, worrying the fabric over and over. "She always seems so... so _different_ than the others. I don't know how else to explain it."

William took another sip of his tea, then set down the teacup. "That's because she _is_ different, Sister Esther. In more ways than you realize."

"What do you mean?" The nun looked at him, puzzled.

The Professor looked away, his eyes drawn back to the Silent Noise system. "Sister Johanna Sinclair is not actually a nun. Nor is that even her real name."

"Not a nun?" Esther blurted out, shocked, rising to her feet in absolute astonishment. "What are you-"

"A little over a month ago, while I was experimenting with my vampire biocontainment unit, there was a... an unexpected glitch. Somehow, the woman you know as Sister Johanna materialized inside the thing. After the initial shock of finding her there, we learned that she had been inexplicably pulled forward a thousand years into her own future."

"That's... that's not possible," Esther whispered, her blue eyes huge in her face.

"But it is," came a third voice, and the two AX members turned to see Johanna coming toward them, moving slowly on her crutches. "I'm originally from the year 2007. I had a life... a family... a husband... friends... a career... and then one day, I found myself here, in Father William's containment unit, with no explanation and no warning." She shrugged. "And with no way home."

Esther shakily sat, as though her legs were about to give out, while Johanna moved toward another crate and carefully lowered herself down onto it, setting her crutches beside her.

"Originally, the only person who knew the full truth was Father Nightroad. The day I arrived, he helped create me an alternate identity, one which would allow me to remain here in the Vatican while Father Wordsworth worked to find me a way home. When Cardinal Caterina learned I knew about Lost Technology, I was invited to join the AX, at least as a consultant, an advisor."

The older nun sighed and ran her fingers through her long hair. "Then things just... snowballed from there. The next thing I knew, there was that whole mess in Borghese Park, and I had to leave Rome. So I went to Antwerp with Father Abel and Father Leon, ostensibly to get field training, but more to get me away from Francesco and the Inquisitorial Department." Johanna shrugged again. "Now the AX is all I have."

"I see..." Esther whispered, looking down at the floor.

William turned to Johanna. "What did the doctors say?"

"Not to hit my head on any more bells," she grinned, self-consciously touching her temple where a large bandage covered the bruise. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

Esther got up and turned to Father William. "Thank you for your help, Father. I... I think I understand better now." She turned to Johanna and opened her mouth to speak, but then she closed her mouth again, gave the other nun a slight curtsy, and then left.

Johanna watched her go, a puzzled look on her face. "What was that all about, anyway?"

"Teenaged confusion, I think," William replied, handing Johanna the tray with her dinner. "What with all the excitement, Sister Esther never had the opportunity to learn the truth about you."

"I get the feeling that she doesn't like me too much," Johanna remarked sadly. "But that's not surprising, most women I know don't like me too much. I just wish I knew why."

"I don't think it's that she doesn't like you," the priest said kindly. "It's a combination of several things, I should think. Don't worry, it'll all work out."

* * *

Much later, Johanna made her way back to the women's dormitory, moving more by instinct than deliberate attention, when she became aware of someone calling her name. 

"Sister Johanna!"

She stopped and looked up to see Abel Nightroad approaching her, his face lit with its usual open smile. But as he took another look at her expression, his own smile faded. "Are you all right? You look troubled."

"I'm just..." She paused, trying to gather her thoughts. "I'm just trying to understand Sister Esther a little better."

"Did something happen between you two?" he asked in concern, falling into step beside her.

Johanna shook her head, then brushed her chestnut hair back from her face. "No, nothing like that." Then abruptly, she stopped walking and stared at Abel.

The priest stopped a few steps ahead of her and looked back. "What is it?"

"Oh, of _course_!" Suddenly Johanna began to laugh, leaning against the wall of the corridor while Abel watched her in confusion.

"Did I miss something?" Abel asked her in confusion. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because I'm an idiot, that's why."

"You're _not_ an idiot," he protested. "Why would you say such a-"

"No, no, no... you see, Esther was asking the Professor about me earlier this evening. I _knew_ that there was a reason she was uncomfortable around me, I just couldn't figure out _why_. But now it all makes sense."

"Maybe to you," Abel said frankly. "I'm completely in the dark here."

"It's because of you," Johanna said cheerfully, and this time Abel stopped in his tracks.

"_Me_?! What on earth are you talking about?"

"Sister Esther likes you, dufus."

"Well of course she does, she's my friend," Abel began, but Johanna shook her head.

"No, not like that. She likes you as... as more than a friend. More like a schoolgirl crush, I would think, but still..."

Abel blushed a deep red. "Are you... are you certain?"

"Well, Esther didn't have a problem with me until you and I went on assignment to Antwerp together. And you have to admit, while we were gone, things did... did change between us, Abel."

"But not like... like _that_!"

"You and I know that, but she doesn't."

The white-haired priest considered that for a few moments, frowning thoughtfully, but the more he thought about it, the more he began to wonder if Johanna might be right.

"Even so," he said slowly, "our relationship isn't like that."

"Your relationship with me, or your relationship with her?"

"Either one," he admitted. "She's a lovely girl, warm and caring and compassionate, but... and it's not that you're not..."

Johanna laughed quietly. "Don't worry, Father, I know what you mean."

"So what should we do about Esther?" Abel asked her as they began walking down the corridor once more.

"For now... nothing."

"Nothing?" he said in surprise, and Johanna nodded.

"Mm-hmm. She'll see eventually that you and I are just friends."

Abel nodded at that, a gentle smile lighting his face.

"Yes... that we are, Johanna. That we are."

_To be continued_...


	6. The Second Game Begins

_Note: The last chapter was fairly restful, all things considered, and I know a lot of you were glad to see the potential Johanna-Abel-Esther triangle finally addressed. But now it's back to the dramatic again! Sorry that this story is taking a bit longer than the original "Unexpected Results" to get written, but now that I know I'm going for three full stories (yes, UR is going to be a three part story), I'm taking more time to plan and develop things._

_By the way, as I mentioned earlier, there is a LiveJournal community up for our favorite neurotic nun! For more information, swing by my profile and scroll down a bit!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part V**

"Sister Johanna..."

At the sound of Kate's voice, Johanna looked up from her computer where she was studying the blueprints of the Silent Noise system as the hologram rezzed up beside her desk.

"Sister Kate, what can I do for you?" she asked, pushing her long hair back from her face and sitting back in her chair.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your work."

Johanna shrugged. "It's not an interruption, I need a break anyway. I've been staring at these things so long my eyes are crossing."

"Well, you _have_ been at it for two weeks straight," Kate said, her voice slightly reproving. "You _are_ entitled to take a break every now and again, you know."

"I take breaks!" Johanna protested.

"Such as?"

The dark-haired nun began counting off on her fingers. "Weapons training with Father Tres, religion lessons with Father Abel, diplomatic instruction with Father Vaclav, physical training with Father Leon-"

"That's _your_ idea of taking a break?" Kate exclaimed.

"Oh, and lest I forget, my physical rehab sessions-"

"Johanna-"

"Not to mention the security work I'm doing for her Eminence on the side..."

"And you think you're not doing too much?" The hologram sighed and shook her head. "You forget to stop to eat if someone doesn't come to remind you. Don't deny it, Father Nightroad has already expressed concern about it."

Johanna smiled ruefully.

"Yeah, bad habit from my days in college. But you know Father Abel, if he's even an hour late for lunch, he's convinced that he's dying of starvation."

"Do you at least _sleep_?!"

Johanna's smile slowly faded. "When I can, yes."

Kate's eyes looked troubled. "Still having nightmares?"

Although it was not something Johanna had discussed with the other AX members, Kate had found out by accident when she'd stopped by Johanna's quarters with a question only to find the nun curled up in a ball on her bed, shaking. After calming her down, the hologram had learned that since her return to Rome, Johanna had been plagued by nightmares of her experiences in Antwerp - small wonder, after being assaulted by a vampire, abducted from Memling's estate, and suffering at the hands of the Rosencreutz Order. Although Kate had originally wanted to bring the matter to the attention of Cardinal Caterina, Johanna had made Kate promise not to mention it to anyone else.

The other Sister nodded, rubbing her temples. "Yeah... and what's even more aggravating is that I feel like I have a hole in my mind."

"Father Nightroad mentioned something in his report about the use of a neural flare on you," Kate said softly. "They _do_ affect short-term memory."

"I know," Johanna sighed again. "I just wish I could figure out what was so _important_ that they erased part of my memory. But it'll come back to me eventually."

"And it might come back sooner if you actually took the time to sleep and eat!" Kate scolded her, trying to lighten the mood.

Johanna laughed at her. "So is that why you're here? To make sure I eat?"

"Not exactly, no, although if you take a moment to, I'd be happier. No, her Eminence would like to see you in her office right away."

"Sure." Johanna slowly got to her feet, took hold of her crutches, and began making her way toward the door.

"You still have to use those things?" Kate asked, looking sympathetic, and Johanna shrugged.

"Only after I get tired. I don't quite have the stamina I used to, such as it was. But the rehab helps - I can get around in the middle of the day without them as long as I'm not running. But by the end of the day..." She shrugged again. "I'll get there eventually."

* * *

As Johanna entered Caterina's office, the Cardinal glanced up from the papers she had been studying with a faint smile. "Ah, Sister Johanna, thank you for coming so promptly." 

"Your Eminence." Johanna bowed her head briefly in respect, then she saw Father William rise from the other chair that faced Caterina's desk. "Hello again, Professor."

"Sister." William drew out a chair for Johanna to be seated before taking the seat beside her.

Caterina signed the last of the documents before her, then set them aside, folded her hands, and gave Johanna and William her full attention. "Before we begin, I would like to compliment you both on your work on the Silent Noise system these last couple of weeks. Your diligence in its investigation is most commendable."

"Thank you, my lady," Johanna said with a faint blush. "But a lot of the credit belongs to Father William, he's the _real_ scientist. I just thrash about until I hit the right answer by accident."

"That's not entirely true," William contradicted her gently. "You have provided some extremely useful insights during our work. It's easy to get so caught up in looking for the complicated answers that you end up missing the simpler ones."

Johanna shrugged. "Still, _he's_ the expert. I just help out. But Father William's been a big help in making sure I keep up with him. Never hurts to have two people who know about the same thing."

"And that's why I've called you here," Caterina replied, folding her hands and looking at them both intently. "We've received word of _two_ possible Rosencreutz plots involving the use of the Silent Noise sysstem - one in Londinium, the other in Lutetia."

"Lutetia?" Johanna asked in confusion.

"You would know it as..." William frowned for a moment, thinking. "Paris."

"Oh." She grimaced for having forgotten. Then her eyes went wide. "Wait a second, you can't throw a rock in Paris without hitting a church or a cathedral! And the same goes for London! How in the world are we supposed to find the Silent Noise system?"

"You see the problem," Caterina said dryly. "I was hoping that in your investigations, you might have discovered some way of tracking down the system."

"Short of it being activated, not really," Johanna admitted.

William, however, filled his pipe, lit it, and took a few thoughtful puffs, studiously ignoring the glare he got from Johanna. "However, it _might_ be possible to eliminate some of them from our search based on the size of the mechanism, the number of bells required, the size of the organ required..."

"If we can get the specs on all the churches in Londinium and Lutetia," Johanna pointed out caustically.

"It's possible," Caterina said slowly. "The problem is doing it discreetly enough that the Rosencreutz doesn't catch on to what we're doing. But one thing at a time. Now, Sister Johanna, the Fathers have told me that you have a strong gift for linguistics. Is French one of those languages?"

"Oui, mais mon Français n'est pas aussi bon qu'il était par le passé." _Yes, but my French is not as good as it was in the past_.

"I've no doubt that your French is at least sufficient to this task," Caterina said with a smile, and Johanna grinned back. But then the Cardinal's smile became somber. "While I realize that you are still on medical leave, you are the only other AX operative besides Father William who knows the Silent Noise system. Since the Professor is originally from Londinium, and is quite familiar with the city, he will go to Albion, accompanied by Father Tres. You will need to go to the Franc Kingdom. I've not yet decided who will partner you on this assignment."

Johanna and William glanced at each other, startled, and then back at the Cardinal.

"But my lady, we still haven't gotten all the information we need in order to set up a cancellation harmonic!" Johanna protested.

"What?"

William rose to his feet and began to slowly pace, as he often did when lecturing his students. "Acoustical theory, your Eminence. In order to stop the Silent Noise system, a specific set of audio frequencies would need to be used to cancel out the effects of the system. However, we still haven't been able to reconstruct the original frequencies, even with the information we got from N... from Barcelona."

Caterina frowned. "We are running out of time, Father. Is there any way you can get that information?"

"Unfortunately, no-"

"Yes."

William and Johanna both spoke at the same time, and Caterina's eyes went from the priest to the nun.

"You know of a way, Sister?"

Johanna nodded slowly, and the Professor turned to look at her, his eyes narrowed.

"You're not thinking of-"

"Yes, I am. And if we're up against the Rosencreutz again, we don't have any choice."

"Exactly what are you two talking about?" Caterina demanded, and Johanna also got to her feet and moved slowly to the window to stare out over the courtyard.

"There are actually two people who have heard the original music used to trigger the Silent Noise system... and have heard it in its entirety."

As the dark-haired nun looked back over her shoulder, both William and Caterina were wearing identical frowns, but she went on.

"The first is Archbishop Alfonso d'Este, who is still in custody if memory serves. The other... is Father Abel."

"However, I imagine that my uncle is not going to just tell you what you want to know," Caterina said coldly, studying the Sister over her folded hands. "As for Abel... I was under the impression you've already asked him about the Silent Noise system."

"And he's told us everything he can remember," Johanna replied, before turning away again. She paused for a moment, then sighed and rested her forehead against the glass. "Or, I should say, everything he thinks he can remember."

Caterina stared at her for a moment, then rose to her feet as the full implications of Johanna's words hit her. "You're suggesting that we-"

"Yes."

"After your own experience?"

"Do we have any choice?" Johanna cried, abruptly whirling around and spreading her hands in a pleading gesture. "We run the risk of the Inquisitorial Department learning what we're up to, but unless you have a better idea, that's our only option."

For a long time, Caterina and Johanna stared at one another, with William's gaze going back and forth between the two.

Then at last, Caterina nodded. "Do it."

"Your Eminence-" William began, but Caterina cut him off.

"I'll have Father Havel assist you in getting inside. The four of you will need to get in, get the information you require, and get out as quickly as possible. Leave no evidence behind."

"Yes, your Eminence." Johanna nodded and carefully shuffled back to her chair for her crutches, then headed toward the door, but William's voice stopped her halfway across the office.

"You realize, however, what this means doing to Abel," the priest said quietly.

Johanna didn't turn around.

"Yes, I do. Which reminds me..."

The Sister looked back over her shoulder at Caterina.

"I understand that you're concerned about my morals and/or my judgment," Johanna asked quietly, meeting Caterina's eyes directly. As hard as she tried, though, she could not quite keep the bitterness out of her voice. "You may want to keep that in mind when deciding who to partner me with."

With that, she left.

_To be continued_...


	7. Memories Like Awful Ghosts

_Note: Sorry for the delay in posting this next chapter... I was making sure I had scenes straight in my head before I got started on this. At any rate, here we go again!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part VI**

The four AX members met later that night in the darkness of Father William's office, all too aware of the troubling consequences of their actions. If they were caught by the Inquisitorial Department, having to explain would prove to be an awkward problem, and the potential delay in pursuing the Rosencreutz could be disastrous.

But as Johanna glanced over at Abel, who looked as uncomfortable and tense as she had ever seen him, she knew that the consequences for him were far worse. It had only been a few scant weeks since the Rosencreutz had destroyed Barcelona, and the priest had still not quite recovered from the loss of Noelle. But there was no more time for mourning, and all of them knew it.

"So how do we go about this?" Vaclav said at last, breaking the lengthy silence.

"Like her Eminence said... we get in, get what we need, and get out," Johanna said simply. "You make sure we get in without getting spotted, then Father William hooks Father Abel and me up to the memory device. We'll get the information we need on the Silent Noise's activation sequence, then leave before the Inquisition knows we were ever there."

William also glanced over at Abel, who was sitting next to Johanna, hunched over and withdrawn. "It would have been easier to get the information we need from Archbishop d'Este."

"Yes, it would have," Johanna said hotly. "But do YOU want to explain to Cardinal Francesco why we need to mind-scan one of his prisoners?"

"No-"

"Not to mention that according to those of you who apprehended him trying to destroy Rome, you interrupted him before he was finished. Only Father Abel has heard the complete sequence, and we need to assume the worst case scenario here."

William sighed and took another long puff on his pipe. "I know... it's more wishful thinking than anything else."

Vaclav looked grim and unconvinced. "Are you absolutely certain that this is the only way?"

"Yes." Both Johanna and William spoke at the same time, and the two looked at one another.

"Johanna is correct - we need the full activation sequence if we're going to have a chance of countering the effect. Anything else, and we run the possible risk of either failing to stop it, or even making it worse."

"But after Abel's description of what this thing did to you-" Vaclav began.

Johanna sighed as well and ran her fingers through her long hair. "I understand... trust me, I'm not that keen on the idea of putting Abel through this, either, but we don't have any choice."

She looked over at the white-haired priest, her heart aching with the knowledge of what he was going to go through, and she hesitantly rested one hand on his shoulder. Abel didn't move away, but neither did he look at her, and she winced slightly.

"Let's go."

* * *

Moving as quickly as they could, Vaclav led the other three through the Vatican until they reached the Inquisitorial Department's section. They had a few close calls along the way, as the Archbishop's failed coup had all of the Vatican guards on heightened alert, but they managed to enter the main hall without incident. 

"How are we going to get inside?" William asked as they paused for breath.

"We do have the authorization to enter to question prisoners on the grounds of Vatican security," Abel remarked, his first comment since they'd met up earlier.

Johanna shook here head, however. "That would alert the Inquisition that we were here."

"Which might not be a bad idea," Vaclav said slowly. "I can attempt to question d'Este on the inner workings of the Silent Noise system."

"But then we're still back to the problem of why we're asking him, and in the middle of the night," Johanna replied. "We'll have to explain ourselves, and we don't have time for that."

She reached up and activated her communicator. "Sister Kate?"

"I read you, Johanna. Downloading the decrypt program now."

"You don't really expect the Inquisition to fall for the same trick twice, do you?" Abel asked Johanna as they watched numbers and letters scroll across the electronic lock.

"Acually, I do," Johanna said calmly, not looking up from the lock. "I may not have access to their full system, but thanks to Caterina's security clearance, I can track requests through Security for changes to a given system. Since you guys broke me out of here, the Inquisitorial Department has not submitted a request to have their system security changed."

And just as she finished speaking, there was a dull thunk, and the inner door opened.

"And you don't think they're going to notice this?"

"Not when I had the program cycle through random doors in the compound not currently associated with holding cells to confirm that codes can be entered and verified through the system," she said, allowing herself a faint smile as she led the three priests inside.

Now Abel took the lead, walking up front with Vaclav while William and Johanna followed. "As far as we know, the Inquisition has not moved the memory device out of the chamber where Johanna's hearing was held. We can access it from there, but we'll have to be fast, it's in a high traffic area."

"Trust me, I won't make this take any longer than I have to," she said fervently.

A moment later, however, they almost walked straight into two Inquisitorial agents on patrol, and the four AX members pressed themselves up against the wall to avoid being noticed, even with Vaclav's invisibility field shrouding all of them. Johanna found herself holding her breath as they passed, when she felt a hand on her arm, and she looked over to see Abel looking down at her reassuringly. She nodded to him to show that she appreciated his concern, and as soon as the agents were out of sight, they turned down the last hallway and into the Inquisition hearing chamber.

Abel and Johanna had seen the device before, but Vaclav and William both paused and stared at it for a moment.

"And this device really can extract memories?" Vaclav said softly, moving closer to it.

"Oh, yes," Johanna said firmly, her mouth twisting in distaste as she helped Abel into the chair. William came forward to help her link up everything, then she moved to sit in the other chair, pulling the visor down over her eyes.

But just as William prepared to activate the device, Johanna spoke.

"Abel?"

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry..."

There was a slight pause, and then Abel whispered, "I know. Do it, William."

William activated the device, and both Johanna and Abel stiffened as they both fell into unending darkness...

* * *

_She was standing in a vast and ruined cathedral, staring up at a figure seated before an enormous organ. With the golden light of the organ behind him, the man in front of her seemed silhouetted in radiance, but she could sense a darkness around him that chilled her to the very core of her soul. _

"By the authority of the Holy See, you are under arrest on the charges of sabotage and murder. Make it easy on yourself - tell me where the weapon is!"

_Abel's voice, harsh and defiant, echoed in her ears before it was suddenly contrasted by the silky tones of the man before her._

"It's right here... you've already heard it."

_Even knowing what she was most likely going to see, she still shivered at the sight of the man turning back to the great pipe organ, lifting his hands like a concert pianist._

_Then he began to play._

* * *

William was monitoring the device when he heard a low moan come from Abel, and he looked up to see the other priest's hands clench helplessly into fists. But what Vaclav found more disturbing was that Johanna, wearing a look of fierce concentration, softly began humming a faint tune.

* * *

Inside Abel's memories, Johanna was staring with fixed intensity at the organ, forcing her mind to stay separate from his, in order to absorb what it was hearing, isolating the layers of music beneath the sudden, almost deafening ringing of the bells over her head. 

"You're using sound as a weapon!"

"Correct!" _the man announced, running his hands along the keys. _"Professor Barrie's masterpiece, the perfect weapon - the Silent Noise system!"

_Suddenly she realized that the floor was trembling beneath her feet, and dust began trickling down from the ceiling above her as the bells grew louder and louder, and the rich tones of the organ swelled inside the cathedral until her body seemed to resonate with it. Dimly she knew that the harmonics would begin spreading and that outside, Barcelona would be reduced to ruins, but she struggled to shut out all other sensations but the sound of the music._

_Then she felt her hand move and suddenly she was holding a gun, pointing it at the figure, who blithely ignored her and continued to play._

"I won't ask again, Van Kampfer!" _she heard Abel say, his voice still defiant and harsh, but underneath it was a faint pleading._ "Step away from the organ!"

"Sorry, I can't do that, Father. You see, our client was dissatisfied with our previous test. He has demanded we conduct another... one that demonstrates the destructive capabilities of the Silent Noise system when set at maximum power."

"Maximum?" _Abel gasped, and she nearly reeled at the shock she felt swamping the priest._

* * *

Abel let out a hoarse cry, and both William and Vaclav took an instinctive step forward. 

Johanna, however, continued to hum, her fingers moving on their own as though she were seated at an organ, her feet moving on invisible pedals.

* * *

_She almost screamed as several phantom figures materialized out of the floor like living gargoyles when suddenly she heard Noelle's voice in her ear. _

_"Abel, do you read me? What's happening?! It feels like an earthquake!"_

"Noelle! Don't worry about me! Just drop what you're doing, you have to get out of the city NOW!"

_The building shuddered and cracked as the music built toward a tremendous crescendo._

"There's no time to argue! Just get out now before it's too late! Do you copy?!"

_"What?! Abel, you're breaking up, what did you just say?!"_

_Then over the sound of the bells and the organ and the low rumbling of the crumbling cathedral, she became aware of a new sound - the collapsing of buildings outside._

_"Abel, if you can hear me, these blueprints... I think they're some sort of weapon!"_

"Never mind the damned blueprints, get out of there NOW, Noelle!"

* * *

Abel gave another cry, but this time it was a name. 

"Noelle!"

Johanna's humming broke off as she let out a low keening cry of her own.

* * *

_She gave a shriek of horror and pain as the gargoyles lunged forward and slammed into her, sending her body flying back to slam against the wall before collapsing to the floor. _

"N... Noelle... get... out..."

_Then came Van Kampfer's voice._

"One million souls call Barcelona home, Father. But don't despair. Tonight's performance will be a fitting dirge for this fair city."

_And her mind was suddenly overwhelmed by images from Abel's own mind and she had to fight to hang onto her own sense of self amidst the rush of helplessness, guilt... and raw fury._

"This can't happen... not again. Not if I have the power to stop it." _She felt herself pulled to her feet by the force of Abel's will._ "I made her a promise, and I intend to keep it!"

_As Van Kampfer played the last notes, he glanced back over his shoulder at Abel... and gave a single, scoffing laugh._

_

* * *

_

Beneath the visor that covered her face, Johanna's eyes flared open. But just as she broke her concentration in order to tell Vaclav and William she had what she needed, she heard Abel speak again inside her mind.

* * *

"Nanomachine, Crusnik 02. Power output, forty percent. Activate!"

* * *

Her entire body, held in the chair by the restraints fastened around her wrists, ankles, and waist, convulsed against the device.

Vaclav lunged forward and shook her, but he didn't dare unhook her from the device.

"Johanna, what's wrong? JOHANNA!"

Her mouth opened but no sound came out... at least not that Vaclav and William could hear.

But inside Abel's memories, the nun was screaming in undiluted terror as raw power surged through her mind and body, before she lost her grip on herself, and her own mind was completely swamped by Abel's Crusnik power.

_To be continued..._


	8. The Mark of the Sinner

_Note: Quite a few people seemed rather freaked out by what happened in the last chapter, but as anyone who knows me in real life will attest, I am an "act first, regret it later" kind of person. So, of course, Johanna has to be as well. And, as I have explained to a few people via Johanna's LJ community, the incident of Johanna being overwhelmed by the force of Abel's memories has a real life analogous experience between myself and my husband, John. You can either believe or not... _

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part VII**

"_Nanomachine, Crusnik 02. Power output, forty percent. Activate!_"

* * *

In the Inquisition hearing chamber, Vaclav was frantically shaking Johanna, trying to pull her free from the influence of Abel's mind, but her body seemed frozen, her mouth open in a silent scream. 

"William, is there anything we can do to help her?" he shouted, completely forgetting to keep his voice down.

The Professor was trying everything he could, staring intently at the monitoring console as though seeking inspiration. "Short of shutting down the memory device, no. And even that has its risks - if we disconnect it while Johanna and Abel are linked together, we risk doing damage to them both. All we can do now is wait... and pray."

* * *

_Inside Abel's memories, Johanna's mind was completely overwhelmed by the rush of the Crusnik power surging through Abel. Her vision went red, and a hoarse cry of fury filled her and erupted from her, bursting out past her fangs as she screamed her defiance._

"This ends NOW!"

_Just then, the monstrous gargoyles that van Kampfer had created lunged toward her, but with barely a thought, she found herself grasping an enormous jagged scythe that had materialized in her hand. Swinging it as though she had been born with it in her hand, she leapt straight into the midst of the gargoyles, barely slowing as she sliced them to pieces. Blood and ichor splattered on her as she cut them down, but she kept moving. After all, they were only mere distractions, getting in the way of her real target..._

_... the fiend sitting at the organ, watching it all with that_ smile _on his face._

"VAN KAMPFER!" _she howled, leaping into the air, swinging the scythe around so she could bring all of its momentum down onto the Rosencreutz magician. She could almost imagine what it would look and feel and sound like when the blade sliced him in two, but at the last possible instant, van Kampfer's body seemed to blur, and then he was standing to her right, and her scythe came crashing down into the organ instead of his body. Growling, she ripped the blade free and whirled around to face him._

_The Rosencreutz magician gazed at her levelly, a twisted and mocking smile on his lips._ "I'm afraid your efforts have come too late... Father. The city's in ruins."

_She froze... she couldn't be too late. She just couldn't be... not with a million lives at stake... not with Noelle still out there. But van Kampfer wasn't finished twisting the knife in her gut._

"How high do you think the death toll will climb tonight? I'm sure my client is curious." _His voice dropped as he taunted,_ "Perhaps you'll tell us once you've picked the bodies out of the rubble."

_That was the last straw. Whatever rein Johanna had on her rage burned away in an instant, and she lunged at him, screaming in incoherent fury._

"MONSTER!"

_But once again, her scythe failed to find its mark as van Kampfer backed away, and then disappeared into nothingness, leaving only his mocking voice behind, like some malevolent Cheshire cat._

"I look forward to our next meeting, Father. Until then... enjoy your failure."

_Then silence fell, heavy and smothering all around her. _

_No bells..._

_No music... _

_Not a single sound of life, inside the cathedral or outside of it._

_The city was dead... and so was everyone else. Except her._

_Cheated of her vengeance, of her chance to make amends, Johanna drove the scythe into the ground, cracking the marble floor. As the last of her rage faded, in its place came a grief so powerful that it brought her to her knees, and she crouched on the floor, sobbing tears of blood that seemed to flow without end._

_She was only dimly aware of the Crusnik influence subsiding, returning her to normal, and only then because her tears ran clear, instead of crimson. But then she clenched her fists, threw her head back, and howled at an uncaring sky._

* * *

"Vaclav! Vaclav, look!" William had come around from the monitoring equipment to crouch beside Abel, and the other priest turned to see that like Johanna, Abel's mouth was open in a silent cry as tears of blood ran down his face. A quick glance at Johanna showed that she, too, was weeping scarlet tears. 

Then, almost imperceptibly, Abel's body shivered.

* * *

_Johanna wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and slowly rose to her feet, but to her astonishment, she saw that kneeling on the ground in front of her was Abel. For an instant, she was confused, until she glanced down and saw that she was somehow in her own body. She blinked, and realized in that instant that she had been completely submerged in Abel's memories, reliving the entire experience as though it had been her own._

_But it hadn't been like this before, during her Inquisition. Then, Francesco and the others had only been observers. She frowned in thought, trying to make sense of what was going on, until she remembered that they had instead hooked the memory device up to a screen, rather than linking it up to a given person. Now, somehow, a part of her own consciousness was inside Abel's own mind._

"Abel..." _she whispered, uncertain if he could even hear her, but the priest ignored her as he continued to sob, pounding the floor impotently with his fists. Johanna stared wildly around her, still half-believing she was Abel, thinking that she could still try and find Noelle, save her before it was too late, but then a voice cut across her thoughts._

"Now you see..." _she heard beside her, and she whirled around to see another Abel standing there, looking down at himself._ "You see what happened because of me. I... killed Noelle."

"No," _she whispered, moving forward to rest her hands on his shoulders. He tried to turn his face away, but she wouldn't let him._ "No, Abel... you can't believe that."

"I should have died that night..." _He gently pushed her away from him and moved to stand over his memory self, staring down at the weeping figure._ "I wish I had..." _Slowly, he bowed his head as though feeling the weight of his long, long life. _"I wish I had died long ago."

"Stop it!"

"Leave me be, Johanna... let me remain in my memories here. You can still escape, you have the knowledge you need. Let me atone for my sins." _As though in response to his words, the cathedral around them slowly began to grow dark, and Abel was becoming more and more shadowed... like his memory form on the cathedral floor._

"Stop saying that!" _Johanna cried, hurrying to his side and pulling him around to look at her once more. Tears of her own spilled down her cheeks as she beat her fists against his chest._ "I'm not leaving you here to die, damn you! Come back to life!"

_Slowly, inexorably, she felt herself being pulled upward, out of Abel's memories, but she dug in her heels, praying to any deity that was listening for strength. Abel stared down at her as though he had never seen her before._

"I know you couldn't save Noelle... or Barcelona... but you saved her Eminence, and Rome, and everyone in it. You came back once before, even though your grief and your sorrow were tearing you apart from the inside out."

* * *

"What is it?" William whispered in horror, staring at the two figures. "What's happening to them?" 

Vaclav shook his head. "I don't know..."

A low moan caught their attention, and they saw Johanna's hands, though bound to the chair, reaching out as though trying to grab hold of something.

_

* * *

_

_The darkness around them deepened as Abel clenched his fists. _"How can you say that, after what you saw?!"

_Johanna looked up at him, her face filled with a deep sorrow and a grief all her own._ "Because when you care for someone... you'll follow them into fire, into darkness, into hell itself. So you can either fall into darkness, or you can come back to life... but no matter which you choose, I'll follow you..."

_Now not even the stars overhead were visible any more, and Johanna could barely even see Abel in front of her._

_Then a whisper flashed through her mind, a voice that she now knew almost as well as her own..._

"_I won't let your star fade, Johanna..._"

_And with the last of her strength, she screamed into the darkness that was now almost absolute._

"I WON'T LET YOU FALL, ABEL! DAMN YOU, I WON'T LET YOU DIE!"

_The darkness receded slightly, until she could just make out a single glimmer in the darkness..._

_Abel's white hair_.

"Please come back, Abel," _she wept, instinctively throwing her arms around him and holding him tightly. _"Come back..."

"Johanna..."

_Then suddenly the world went white around them..._

* * *

"Johanna..." 

The two priests glanced up and saw Abel slump forward slightly, his voice hoarse.

"Father Nightroad! Thank God! Is everything all right? What about Sister Johanna?" William was beside Abel in an instant, undoing the restraints that held the other priest in place, while Vaclav moved to do the same for Johanna.

"Bloody hell."

Startled by the nun's sudden profanity, William's eyes flashed to where Johanna was sitting.

For a moment, she drew in a deep breath, then let it out with a relieved sigh. Then she turned her head slightly, a faint but satisfied smile on her lips. "I didn't think he was actually going to listen to me."

To Vaclav and William's considerable surprise, Abel started quietly laughing.

A moment later, Vaclav was helping Johanna to her feet while William was doing the same for Abel. Both the priest and the nun looked like they had gone through hell, but their eyes were clear and resolute.

"What happened?" Vaclav asked them, but both Abel and Johanna shook their heads.

"Now is not the time, Father," Abel said firmly. "We still have work to do."

"You got it?" William asked her, and she nodded, moving past him with Father Havel's assistance to the monitoring console to withdraw the recording.

"Yes... I've got it in my head. I'll keep this record as a backup, but we have to get out of here while it's still fresh in my head... not to mention getting out before the Inquisition finds us." Quickly her fingers moved over the console as William joined her, and the two of them made certain that no trace of their activities remained before they shut down the device.

Vaclav kept his hand under Johanna's elbow, helping her toward the door, but as they passed Abel, the other priest took her by the arm.

"Johanna..."

She paused and looked up into Abel's eyes, his face truly calm for the first time since he'd returned from Barcelona. "Yes?"

"Thank you... for your faith." Abel then met Vaclav's eyes over Johanna's head. "I'll help her, Father Havel. Just lead the way out of here."

* * *

To their surprise, it had been less than thirty minutes since their arrival, but Johanna still urged them to hurry before the program she'd downloaded into the system ran its course. However, it was much slower going getting out than it had been getting in, because both Abel and Johanna were mentally and physically exhausted after the ordeal of using the memory device. But to their extreme relief, they reached the main hall of the Inquisitorial Department without incident. 

As they passed through the outer door, however, Johanna hesitated and looked back over her shoulder, then gave a shiver.

"What's wrong?" Abel asked her in concern.

"Nothing..." she said softly, her eyes shadowed. Then she raised her eyes to his and smiled in reassurance. "Just bad memories."

_To be continued_...


	9. Last Minute Preparations

_Note: This chapter took me a little longer to work on, because of a much-needed discussion I was having with another TB author/reader via LiveJournal comments. While I plan to (at some point) slightly retcon "A Slight Glitch" to make it more 'in canon,' as it were, I was also taking advantage of the discussion to try and steer "In All the Empty Places" more toward canon. _

_And just as an FYI, I use the anime as canon, not the novels or the manga. Why? Because I HAVE the anime, and not the novels or the manga._

_There was also some major research I had to do regarding the upcoming plot development in Lutetia and Londinium, so for those of you who appreciate attention to detail, I hope you enjoy it._

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part VIII**

Early the next morning, Johanna, Abel, and William arrived in Caterina's office with an update on the situation. By unspoken agreement, neither Abel nor Johanna mentioned what had happened while they were using the memory device, but both of them had the uncomfortable feeling that the Cardinal knew they knew more than they were telling her.

"The important thing, however, is that you were successful in obtaining the information you needed?" she asked, her eyes going from one to the other.

William and Johanna both nodded. "Yes, my lady," William replied. "Johanna has been working on transcribing what she has heard so that we can use it to cancel the effects of the Silent Noise system."

"Excellent," Caterina sighed, a look of deep satisfaction on her face. "My commendations to all of you for your _outstanding_ work on this matter."

"Commend us when we've actually stopped them," Johanna said under her breath, staring at her feet. At the looks she got from Abel, Caterina, and William, she shrugged. "Well, it's true. We have the activation sequence, yes, but we're not out of this one yet."

"Be that as it may, your work _still_ deserves recognition. Father Wordsworth, please continue your research into negating the Silent Noise activation sequence. Father Nightroad, you will assist him while I speak to Sister Johanna."

The two priests bowed and left the room, leaving the nun standing before Caterina's desk looking uncertain.

The Cardinal sat back in her chair, steepling her fingers, and studied Johanna intently. "I have been giving some thought to who should accompany you to Lutetia for this mission, but before I make my decision, I would like your input on this matter."

Johanna shrugged again, lowering her eyes, and Caterina's eyes narrowed.

"_Don't_ ignore me, Sister. I asked you a question."

"With all due respect, your Eminence, it's preferable for you to be angry with me for not answering your question, than to be angry with me for actually _answering_ it."

"You think your response will upset me?" the Cardinal asked softly, and Johanna nodded, still not looking at her. "Try me."

At that, the dark-haired nun looked up and met Caterina's eyes. "I think that no matter who you send, you won't trust _him_, and you won't trust _me_. And as for assigning me a female partner, Sister Esther is just as inexperienced in the field as I am, if not moreso, so I guess I'm damned no matter _who_ goes with me."

"And why do you say that?"

Johanna snorted and began counting off on her fingers. "You've already chewed out Father Leon once for his behavior with me. You also didn't believe Father Abel when he defended me to you, and I know you've probably read him the riot act as well for what happened in Antwerp. As for the priests that I _haven't_ made a fool of myself with, Father William is going to Londinium, as is Father Tres. Father Hugue is nowhere to be found, and Father Vaclav is almost permanently assigned to you. Did I miss anyone?"

By the time she was done, Johanna was almost shouting, but with an effort, she managed to get her voice back under control. Caterina, however, said nothing during the nun's diatribe, waiting patiently for her to finish.

"So now that we have _that_ out in the open," she said at last, "who do you think I should assign to you?"

"Does it really matter, your Eminence?"

"I think it does," Caterina said simply, "and I'm thinking so do you."

"To be honest, I would have originally said not to assign Father Abel with me."

"Is that so?" Caterina leaned back slightly in her chair. "Why?"

"Because he's been under a great deal of stress lately... because getting the memory from him last night was a draining and potentially traumatic experience..." Johanna hesitated for a moment, then went on. "And because as stupid as this might sound, I know it would bother Sister Esther."

The Cardinal gave her a long look. "So you've noticed as well."

Johanna nodded. "I'm not Noelle, your Eminence, but I'm not an idiot, either. And all the rational explanations in the world aren't much good against a seventeen-year-old with a crush."

"That may be true," Caterina agreed. "However, you said that you would have _originally_ said not to have him assigned with you. Why would you change your mind?"

Silent for a long time, Johanna eventually sighed and ran her fingers through her long hair. "There's a good chance that if the RCO does strike in Lutetia using the Silent Noise, the one involved will be Isaak Fernando van Kampfer. And to be blunt, van Kampfer has already bested Abel on two separate occasions - he destroyed Barcelona and killed Noelle despite Abel's heroics, and then nearly killed you and nearly destroyed Rome, because he knew exactly how to play on Abel's principles and emotions. If we deliberately keep Abel away from him, then van Kampfer will have beaten Abel _completely_."

With that, Johanna planted both hands on Caterina's desk and leaned over it to stare Caterina full in the face.

"And I will be _damned_ before I let that _bastard_ do it."

This time, it was Caterina who was silent for a long time as she studied Johanna, taking in the anger in her eyes, the determined set of her jaw, and her unflinching gaze. "You've given this a great deal of thought," she said at last.

The nun nodded, but then stood back from Caterina's desk and shrugged a third time. "In the end, though, it's still your decision, your Eminence."

Caterina considered for a few more moments, then nodded to herself and activated the communicator on her desk. A moment later, Sister Kate shimmered into existence. "Yes, your Eminence?"

"Sister Kate, inform Father Nightroad that he will be accompanying Sister Johanna to Lutetia within 24 hours. Make the necessary arrangements."

"As you wish, your Eminence," Kate replied before vanishing once more, and Caterina turned to Johanna.

"You won't have much time to get your work completed, but time is of the essence." Caterina then turned her attention to the stack of paperwork on her desk, and taking it as a dismissal, Johanna bowed briefly before turning toward the door.

"Sister Johanna!"

The nun stopped and turned back to see Caterina watching her with a slightly concerned expression.

"Yes, your Eminence?"

"Be careful, and good luck."

Johanna nodded. "Thank you, my lady."

* * *

An hour later, she was back in the warehouse where Abel and William were already working on the Silent Noise system, hunched over the desk she'd had set up for her work. In front of her were sheets covered with musical notation, and she could occasionally be heard humming to herself, her fingers moving as though over a keyboard, before frantically scribbling down the next musical phrase. 

"How's it coming?" Abel asked her at one point, but she held up one hand for silence as she closed her eyes, humming the same piece of music over and over again until she had it right, then she quickly wrote it down.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"I asked how it was comng," he repeated patiently, glancing down at the pages covered with her usual scrawl.

"I've almost got the whole thing," she said, her eyes betraying her eagerness as she looked up at him. Then her expression clouded slightly. "Of course, testing it _is_ going to be kind of difficult."

"Not really," the Professor said, coming over to pick up one of the pages and study it. "We can always create a simulation of the Silent Noise in the computers and enter in the activation sequence."

"Will we have time before we go?" she pointed out. "We're all due to leave Rome in several hours, and I'm not at _all_ comfortable with creating a computer simulation."

William took a satisfied puff on his pipe and looked smug. "As it happens, I've already created one."

"_What_?!" Johanna yelped. "Since when?"

"While you were in the middle of your other studies." He took another puff on his pipe, and Johanna began coughing and waving a handful of papers in front of her face to blow away the smoke. She shot him a sour look, but the effect was somewhat spoiled by the smile on her lips. "You _could_ have said something, you know, Professor."

"I thought I just did."

"Anyway," Abel said, "how much longer do you need?"

"Another hour, maybe two," she replied, pushing her hair back from her face and flexing her fingers.

"Well, we can make this go faster if I start entering in what you've already got done," he said thoughtfully, looking down at the pages scattered on her desk, and Johanna quickly sifted through them to extract the information she'd finished.

"Here... and that's the order it goes in. Let me know if you need help translating it, or if I forgot to mark tempo or something on there. I was more concerned about getting the notes right than I was about my handwriting."

"Excuse me," they heard, and they all turned to see Sister Esther approaching. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just got your message, Sister Johanna. You wanted to see me?"

Johanna slapped one hand against her forehead. "God, I almost forgot! I was hoping you could do something for me while I'm in Lutetia. It's important, and you're the only one who can do it."

"Of course, what is it?" Esther asked eagerly.

"I know that while you were still in Ishtvan, you had extensive contact with the Rosencreutz agent Dietrich von Lohengrin."

Esther paled slightly, but Johanna went on, holding up one hand.

"I'm not accusing you of anything. But this is a golden opportunity for me to compile information on him. I know that Dietrich helped you get close to Ladecon so you could assassinate him, but he _must_ have told you how he managed that feat. What I need you to do is compile any and all information you were able to get from him, and about him. When you met him, how you met him. _Anything_ at all. I don't care how trivial you think it is, or how irrelevant."

"And... that's what you want me to do?" the red-haired nun said hesitantly, looking disappointed. "Just... compile information?"

Johanna gave her a long look. "Trust me, that's a big enough job. I am going to hunt the RCO down, but I need all the help I can get. And the information in your head is invaluable."

Esther stood up a bit straighter, then nodded. "Yes. I'll get started right away."

"Don't worry about _organizing_ it - that'll be a task for later," Johanna informed her. "Right now, just get it all into the computer." She rummaged through the papers on her desk, then extracted one and handed it to Esther. "Here - this is the location of the database I created. There's a file in there of my own that I created of what I can remember from when Dietrich had me captive, you can use that as a guideline if you want. It's up to you."

"Right." The younger nun took the paper and studied it carefully. "I'll do my best. And... thank you, Sister."

Johanna grimaced slightly. "Don't thank me - you'll find that this is a _lot_ harder than you think it is. But don't give up."

"I won't. Oh, and Sister Kate said that I was supposed to badger you if you haven't eaten yet."

"Lunch?" Abel immediately perked up at the mention of food and promptly headed for the door, and Johanna and Esther both rolled their eyes. But then Esther smiled and looked at the older nun.

"_And_ she says I'm supposed to drag you off to the dining hall if you insisted on continuing your work."

"But I'm so close to getting this done!" Johanna wailed. "No, Esther, _stop_, come on, I'm almost finish-"

Esther came around the desk, took the other Sister by the elbow, and began firmly dragging a protesting Johanna toward the door of the warehouse, followed by a chuckling William.

_To be continued_...


	10. Van Kampfer's Deception

_Note: I apologize again for taking a bit longer with this than I did with "A Slight Glitch." Ever since I figured out that I was doing this as a trilogy, I've been making notes and figuring out plot points and stuff. Sure, it's more time consuming, but in the end, I think it works better as a result._

_A little bit about this particular story arc - I happen to enjoy details in stories, the little things that make a story a bit more 'real'. I don't always want to be bogged down in them, but they lend a certain flavour and authenticity to a tale, you know? And let me tell you, I put in a surprising amount of research into this arc - specifically, the churches and cathedrals of London and Paris. Not only was I going for some sense of accuracy, but when the next great confrontation comes... I wanted to make sure I had an appropriate stage._

_And by the way - since FF is being stupid, there's a new companion story up! Check out "The Songs of Their Hearts"!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part IX**

Esther continued to drag Johanna all the way to the Vatican's main dining hall, where Abel was already sitting at a table, tucking into his food with gusto while Leon was sitting watching him in amusement.

Then Leon glanced up and saw Esther and Johanna and waved. "Well, well, haven't seen you two in a while."

"We've been keeping busy," Johanna admitted when she finally managed to extricate herself from Esther's surprisingly firm grip. William politely held her chair for her as she sat, and one of the serving boys came over to take her order. After choosing her food, she propped her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands. "And God, am I _tired_."

"I think you're pushing yourself too hard," Vaclav pointed out, coming over to sit beside her. "The AX training regimen is strenuous enough as it is, and then there's all the work you've been doing on this investigation. Combining that with your physical rehabilitation exercises is almost brutal."

"Needs must when the devil drives," Johanna replied, nodding gratefully to the server when her food arrived a few minutes later.

Esther had taken her own seat beside Abel and sipped at her water while waiting for her own food. "Still, it feels good to be able to focus all my attention on training, instead of responding to some emergency or another. I feel like I'm able to get more done."

"You are," Abel replied, adding the last of his thirteen sugars to his own cup of tea. "Not having to split your attention, or wonder if you're going to be sent on assignment at the last minute..."

"Or worry that Rome is about to get flattened..." Leon added.

"That, too," William chuckled, puffing on his pipe. "But you both have made _excellent_ progress in the last few weeks."

The two nuns smiled at the compliment, and for a little while, conversation faded into a comfortable silence. But the others at the table could tell that Johanna and William were still thinking, still planning, trying to figure out what they might have missed before departing on assignment.

"This is turning into a logistical nightmare," Johanna sighed at last, setting down her fork and rubbing her eyes tiredly.

"Now, now, Sister, don't give up heart yet," William said soothingly. "After lunch, we'll run the simulation and see what we can come up with."

"Have you made any progress?" Leon asked, looking over at Johanna in concern.

"We've got the activation sequence, or at least we _think_ we do," Johanna said, allowing herself a faint smile of pride. "The Professor's going to test it in a computer simulation. After that... well, we'll find out soon enough if we're right."

"It sounds like you have all the information," Vaclav remarked with a frown. "So what's the problem?"

"We still haven't been able to figure out how they control the power of the Silent Noise system," William admitted. "According to Father Nightroad, the destruction of Barcelona was the result of using the Silent Noise system at maximum power."

"But when we brought in the Silent Noise system that the Archbishop smuggled into Rome, we made sure to bring in _everything_," Esther protested. "There was nothing else there."

"That's not true," Abel said heavily. "According to Van Kampfer, there was a signalling device implanted in his body that would shut down the Silent Noise system should his life signs stop."

"But there's nothing in the system that would..." Johanna's voice trailed off, and her eyes suddenly went absolutely huge in her face.

"THAT LYING BASTARD!"

Ignoring the shocked stares and whispers she was getting from the others in the dining hall, she leapt to her feet and sprinted from the hall, barely slowing as she hit the door.

"Wait, Johanna, what are you-" Abel shouted after her, but the Sister was already running through the Vatican back to the warehouse where she'd been working.

* * *

The others immediately ran after her, catching up just as she'd half-seated herself, half-fallen into her chair and began frantically typing. 

"That's it, that's it, that's it!" she was shouting. "_That_ was what didn't make sense!"

"What on _earth_ are you talking about?" William asked her in confusion, watching as the nun's fingers flew over the keyboard.

"There IS a control system on the Silent Noise, but _not_ the way that we thought," she insisted, rapidly searching through her files until she found what she was looking for. "It was right in front of my face the entire time."

"I don't understand," Esther said.

"That makes two of us," Vaclav said quietly.

"It makes perfect sense that the Order would have used _La Sagrada Familia_ for testing the thing, the Cathedral was already in the condemned sector! Who would notice or care if a couple more buildings fell?"

"So?" Abel still wasn't entirely certain where she was going with this.

"So, it's over _three miles_ from _La Sagrada Familia_ to the Royal Palace, so there's no _way_ they could have destroyed the Palace from there! Not without wiping out everything in the intervening space or causing a larger radius of damage!"

For a moment, Abel stared at Johanna, then his eyes went wide. "There was more than one Silent Noise system in Barcelona."

"_Yes_!" she shouted, banging her fist on the desk. "I KNEW I was missing something!"

"But where on earth could it have been?" William asked her, pulling up a chair beside Johanna to watch her as she worked.

The Sister ignored him, searching every last bit of data she'd gathered from the blueprints Noelle had found, plus her own research with William back in Rome. Typing with one hand, she activated her communicator with the other.

"Kate, this is Johanna. Can you come to the warehouse?"

"_Of course, when?_"

"NOW would be terrific."

A moment later, Sister Kate rezzed up next to the desk where Johanna was working, and glanced around, startled at seeing the others there.

"Did I miss something?"

"Sister Kate, using the Royal Palace as a reference point in Barcelona, what's the nearest church or cathedral?" Johanna asked her, not looking up from the screen.

"The Cathedral of Almudena," Kate replied promptly. "It's right next door to the Royal Palace."

"You're kidding," Vaclav finally managed to get out. "But how did it not destroy everything else nearby?"

"Simple," Johanna answered. "The control system for the Silent Noise system is the size of the organ and bell system. That cathedral's organ and bell system is smaller than _La Sagrada Familia_'s, it wouldn't be able to put out as much power, as it were. That bastard Van Kampfer had us fooled, thinking there was a way to control the Silent Noise system itself through some other mechanism, something we thought we'd failed to capture. But it really IS just a matter of the number of pipes and the bells!"

"Which means we can eliminate a good number of the churches and cathedrals here in Lutetia based on that," Abel finished triumphantly.

"And we can do the same in Londinium," William added.

"If we use the Cathedral of Almudena as a minimum baseline, and _La Sagrada Familia_ as a maximum..." Johanna muttered, her fingers racing over the keys. "It would have to be centrally located for a radius effect to take out the city, someplace well-situated..." For a few moments, Abel watched her anxiously, and then her terminal beeped.

Abel paled. "Good God... if those are the results for Lutetia..."

Johanna nodded, her face somber, her earlier excitement vanishing. "Yes. Any of these four could theoretically be used for the Silent Noise system."

Esther, Vaclav, Leon, and William gathered around to peer over Johanna's shoulders to read the list.

"_Notre Dame_, _Saint Sulpice_, _Sacre Couer_, and _Saint Eustache_," Vaclav said at last. "Four of the greatest cathedrals in all of Lutetia."

"All with historical significance, all located in central Lutetia, and all surrounded by other buildings of note." Leon sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "You two are going to have your work cut out for you."

Johanna was already running the same specs for Londinium, and Esther leaned closer to read. "At least in Londinium, it'll be easier. There are only two there that meet the criteria. One is St. Paul's Cathedral, and the other is Westminster Abbey."

"True," William replied, leaning back and filling his pipe with tobacco. "It would appear that the task before Father Tres and me is going to be easier than the one before Father Abel and Sister Johanna."

Esther looked over at the white-haired priest. "Father, why not ask if you can take another AX member or two with you?" Abel and Johanna both gave her looks, and the younger Sister turned slightly pink. "Well, it was just an idea..."

"If it were just a matter of disabling the system, I'd agree with you," Johanna said at last. "But it's more than that. Father William and I are the only ones who know how to cancel the effects of the Silent Noise system. Father Tres and Father Abel are being assigned as protection." She glanced over at William. "Which reminds me - that simulation?"

"Right." William pushed himself out of his chair and headed over to his own terminal, and began entering in the information Johanna had finished compiling just before lunch.

"How long before you four leave?" Leon asked.

"Three hours," Abel replied, handing Johanna the papers she was looking for before turning to Leon. "The Professor and Tres are taking an airship to Londinium, while Sister Johanna and I catch a train to Lutetia."

"Wouldn't it be faster to take the _Iron Maiden_?" Esther asked in confusion, but Vaclav shook his head, as did Sister Kate.

"With four AX members gone, it is entirely possible that this matter is being staged as a diversionary tactic to pull AX members away from Rome. We can't leave the Vatican unprotected in case of attack."

"Right, that should do it," William said in satisfaction. "Whenever you're ready, Sister."

Johanna got up and moved to stand behind William while the others stood around them. She leaned over the Professor's shoulder to double-check the musical notation, then nodded. "Go."

William started the simulation, and Kate started in surprise. "You're using the _Vatican_ as the test setting?"

"We had all the structural details at hand," William said with a shrug.

"Oh, my God," Esther whispered, watching the simulation run. "Is _that_ what it would have done to Rome?!"

"Yes," Johanna said quietly. "And it's what happened to Barcelona."

"So you _did_ get the activation sequence right!" Vaclav said, looking from Abel to Johanna. Even though he still didn't know all the details of what had happened between the two the other night while linked through the memory device, their first and foremost concern had been getting the musical sequence correct.

"Yes, we did," Johanna said in satisfaction, resting one hand on Abel's arm as though following the train of Vaclav's thoughts.

"Then you can stop the Silent Noise system!" Esther said, brightening, and Johanna and William both nodded and smiled.

"I'm almost looking forward to it," Johanna said quietly, her smile turning slightly feral. "The Rosencreutz is in for a _rude_ surprise..."

* * *

Two hours later, Johanna was just finishing packing the last of her things when Abel appeared in the doorway. 

"Almost ready?" he asked.

"Just about done," Johanna said, waving her to a chair while still holding her hairbrush. "Grab a seat, if you'd like."

Abel took a seat and watched the nun for a few moments.

"I know you spoke to Caterina about me," he began without preamble. "And... I wanted to thank you for your faith in me. I just... I just wish I knew _why_ you believe in me so much."

Without pausing in her preparations, Johanna shrugged, but she glanced at him over her shoulder. "Is it so different than you believing in me?" She went back to folding her clothes and placing them in her travelling bag.

"You didn't tell Caterina, did you," he said at last, and Johanna stopped her packing, but didn't turn to look at him. "About what you saw in my memories."

"No," she said softly, lifting her head and gazing outside without really seeing it. "What I saw... I won't ever forget. But they're not my memories to share. And if you didn't tell her... I wasn't about to." Then she turned and looked at him. "But now is _not_ the time. We need to pick up our weapons and get going if we're going to make our train."

He gave her a faintly lopsided smile as she finished the last of her packing, then helped her carry her bag down the stairs to the armoury.

"Ah, Father Nightroad... these are for you. And Sister Johanna... these are yours."

As Johanna signed her name, Abel glanced down at her Peacekeeper, then arched an eyebrow at her.

"It seemed appropriate," she grinned sheepishly, and Abel looked at it again.

The barrel was engraved with two words in Latin.

_Ultio Temporis_.

_To be continued_...


	11. Bishop and Pawn Advance

_Note: Sorry this took a lot longer than it usually does. Work very much took over my life for a while (as it has a way of doing), and then depression almost completely derailed any and all attempts at creativity. However, I have begged my muse to come back, and now I am HOPEFULLY back on track! So here we go again... thank you so much for waiting!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part X**

After getting themselves settled on the train, Abel and Johanna sat in silence for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Thankfully, Caterina had arranged for them to have their own compartment so that they could work without drawing undue attention to themselves, so Abel sprawled out on one side to doze, while Johanna soon had papers spread everywhere as she continued making notes on her work.

"Give it a rest, Sister," she heard after a little while, and looked up to see Abel watching her. "It's a long ride to Lutetia, and you won't be much good if you don't get some rest along the way."

"But there's still much we don't know," Johanna sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly and then covering her face with her hands as she propped her elbows on her knees. Her voice was muffled as she went on. "Even with our search narrowed down to four cathedrals, how are we going to know which one is _right_?"

"Have a little faith," he consoled her. "After all, we've gotten _this_ far, haven't we?"

She lifted her head and gave him a tired smile. "Yes... yes, we have."

"So come on, put the papers away and relax for a little while," he cajoled her. "You look like you're ready to pass out." Then his expression became somber. "And ever since Antwerp, you haven't exactly had your usual spark. Why have you been pushing yourself so hard?"

"Because we haven't had time to do anything else," she replied, stretching out along the length of her seat and propping her feet against the wall with her legs crossed at the ankles, then resting her arms behind her head. "_Owwwww_... my back." She turned her head to look at Abel. "Besides, if I weren't the only other person who knows this stuff, her Eminence would _never_ have cleared me for field duty this soon."

Abel leaned back in his seat and studied her. "So I'd heard. But medically, you're still on restricted duty."

Johanna shrugged and gazed up at the ceiling of the compartment. "Habit, I suppose. With any luck, though, things won't be too strenuous in Lutetia." She snorted. "Then again, this _is_ us we're talking about. We should expect half the vampire population in Paris to be waiting for us the minute we get off the train."

For a little while, the conversation lulled into silence as Abel watched the landscape go by, while Johanna picked up some of her papers and continued reading, ignoring the occasional pointed glare from the priest. Every now and again, while studying the music she'd transcribed, she would start humming quietly to herself, her fingers moving as though over an invisible keyboard.

An hour or two later, there was a light knock, and Abel got up to answer it while Johanna's hand casually moved where it could draw her revolver if necessary.

"I apologize for disturbing you, Father, would you and the Sister care for any refreshment?"

The two ordered lunch, and thirty minutes later, it arrived. Abel quickly fell to, while Johanna absentmindedly ate while studying some papers that Father William had given her before leaving.

She flinched as the papers were unceremoniously yanked from her hands.

"Father, wha-"

"Eat, Johanna. The paperwork can wait fifteen minutes or so." Faster than she would have thought he could move, he swept up all her notes and shoved them back into her bag.

"I was in the middle of working!" she protested.

"You also would starve to death if someone didn't remind you to eat." Abel pushed the tray across to her. "Now go on."

She rolled her eyes at him, but picked up her knife and fork and began to eat. He watched her in silence for a while, then he sighed.

"You never really answered my question from before, by the way."

"What question?" she asked, her mind half on her food and half on the work that Abel had interrupted.

"About why you believe in me so much."

Johanna paused with the fork halfway to her mouth and lifted her eyes to his. For a few moments, she didn't say a word. Then she looked away, her gaze going past him to stare at the window at the countryside.

"'I will not allow you to give up hope,'" she said softly, her eyes filled with a faraway look. "'Not while there's even still the slightest chance.'"

Abel looked confused. "What?"

"That's what you said to me... the night before Francesco tried to execute me." She shuddered, remembering the Bastille, the guards, her Inquisition, and the sheer weight of the misery and fear that had almost consumed her that night. "You told me to pray with you... and I said that I didn't believe in God, not like _you_ did."

The priest hadn't forgotten it, either, and his hands clenched into fists in his lap. He had seen her upset, seen her grieving, seen her angry... but that night had been one of the rare times he had ever seen Johanna give up.

Then Johanna turned her eyes back to Abel once more. "And you said, 'Then believe in ME.' And I do," she finished simply. She went back to her food, then she stopped again and stared down at her plate. "Besides... it's always easier to believe in someone else than it is to believe in yourself. You remind me so much of me sometimes, and people are always telling _me_ not to be down on myself. So if I can't be down on myself, you can't be, either." Her mouth quirked into a smile, but Abel didn't return the smile.

"But after what you saw... in my memories..." He tried and failed to hide the shudder that racked his tall, thin frame, and Johanna pushed her tray and the table aside to stand up. Moving around the table, she knelt on the seat next to Abel so that she was slightly taller than he, then she put her arms around him, resting her cheek against his hair and holding him as she would a child. For a moment, the priest was so absolutely stunned that he couldn't move, but then he slowly relaxed against her.

They stayed like that a long time, slowly rocking in time to the movement of the train, neither of them speaking, and the Sister gently stroking his hair.

"I meant what I said, Abel," she murmured against his white hair. "I'll follow you to hell and back again, if need be." Her arms tightened around him, and Abel felt her shiver slightly. "After all... you're the only real friend I have in this world."

Abel closed his eyes as she continued to stroke his hair, so that she wouldn't see how much her words meant to him.

* * *

Later that night, Abel stayed awake, watching the world go by outside the window while Johanna slept. After their meal earlier, the two had barely spoken, but the silence between them was a comfortable one, and Johanna had been content to leave Abel to his thoughts while she worked. But when she would have kept going, the priest forcibly called a halt. 

"Caterina would never forgive me if I didn't watch out for you," he'd told her, once again taking her papers away. "Now go on and get some sleep. If you wake up in the middle of the night with a revelation, that's one thing, but I'm going to make sure you get a solid eight hours of rest, per doctor's orders."

"Come on-" she'd protested, but when he had refused to relent, Johanna had hit him with one of her pillows and then stretched out on the bench to catch some sleep.

Now Abel was almost regretting it, because even in sleep, Johanna's face still seemed drawn and pale, and her rest was far too uneasy. He briefly wondered what she was dreaming about, but a part of him really didn't want to know.

To take his mind off things, he picked up her notes and began reading them, trying to familiarize himself with the Silent Noise system so he'd be able to assist Johanna in disabling the thing.

To his surprise, however, he found a page mixed in with her notes, covered with Johanna's rambling scrawl.

"... _does terror unleash memories of previous terrors? I was sixteen then... ironic how I have lived another sixteen years and once again found myself hurt... tormented... sometimes I wake up shivering, wondering if the next time the sun rises, that will be when it burns. They tried to make me one of them, the bastards... but I wonder, will it hurt to become a vampire? I have nightmares about spilling my own blood, to tear out any possible taint. I don't even have anyone to talk to... except Abel_. _Thank God for him... of all the AX, I think the reason he's my only true friend here is because he's the only one I know who knows what it's like to stare into a mirror and sometimes see the darkness within staring back_..."

The priest's eyes misted as he paused in his reading. While a part of him felt guilty for reading what was obviously Johanna's private thoughts, the chance to know her better, to try and understand her, was too strong for him to resist.

"_But God, I just want to go home. Because with every passing day, I... Abel's my friend, and I love him for it. I can't ever tell him that, because he has enough hang-ups of his own, what with Noelle and now Esther. He doesn't need me. And that's why I'll have to go. And the bitch of it is, once I'm gone, I'll never know if he misses me, or even remembers me..._"

Johanna had stopped writing at the bottom. He sifted through the other pages, but couldn't find where she might have continued her thoughts. As he replaced the papers on the tray where she'd left them, he tried to imagine what life would be like when Johanna returned to her own time.

Abel didn't sleep at all that night.

* * *

Johanna startled Abel out of a half-doze the following morning when she forgot where she was and woke herself up by falling off the bench and landing on the floor with a thump. 

"OWWWwwwwwww..."

"Are you all right?" Abel quickly knelt to help her get up again.

Johanna rubbed her eyes and ran her hands over her face, trying to rouse herself. "God, what an unpleasant way to wake up. And I had the _weirdest_ dreams all last night. I'm sure there's some deep Freudian reason why I kept dreaming that the musical sequence to the Silent Noise system was 'Chopsticks.'"

As she glanced over at the priest, she was startled to see Abel looking pale and obviously uncomfortable.

"Hey, Abel, are you okay? You look like hell..."

"I'm fine... I just... didn't sleep well."

She peered at him more closely. "You sure?"

He managed a weak smile. "It's always hard to sleep on a bumpy train."

"I must have been bushed, I can't _believe_ I slept that long," she groaned as she stretched, then flopped back down on the bench. "You should have woken me sooner, I could have gotten more work done."

"You obviously needed the rest," he reproved her, giving her a long look over the tops of his spectacles. "And after all the fuss I went through trying to get you to sleep, I was hardly going to rouse you again until you were fully rested."

"Translation - you were too much of a wuss to disturb me," she teased. "But thank you for your concern. Any chance of breakfast before we get to Paris?"

Abel shook his head. "Unfortunately, no, we'll be arriving shortly. But once we've reached Lutetia, we'll find a place to stay, we'll wash up, and then we'll find someplace to eat."

Johanna grinned. "Let me guess... I'm buying lunch again." She rummaged in her overnight bag for a brush and began pulling it through her long hair.

The priest gave a mock huff. "Well, her Eminence seems to have favored you again with more _per diem_ funds."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... don't worry, I'll buy you lunch. That's what friends are for, after all."

Abel chuckled at that. "Among other things. Have you worked out a plan of action?"

"We stomp on the Rosencreutz, save Western civilization as we know it, and then it's back to Rome," she announced, waving her brush in enthusiasm.

"Oh, really?" Abel arched one white eyebrow. "And just how are we going to manage that?"

"I'm still working on that part," she admitted sheepishly. "But I have a few ideas..."

"And those would be?"

She grinned, and for a moment, Abel silently marveled at her mercurial moods.

"If I told you, Father, it wouldn't be a surprise."

_To be continued_...


	12. A New Battleground

_Note: Okay, here we go again! I just got back from five days in Las Vegas (where I happily enjoyed Anime Vegas 2007 - more info on that on my LiveJournal), then jumped straight into being a presenting Author and panelist at CopperCon 27 here in Phoenix! Now that I am a bit more relaxed, my muse is making her presence known again..._

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part XI **

After arriving in Lutetia, Abel and Johanna chose a small hotel that was centrally located between the four cathedrals that they would need to investigate.

"Two rooms this time, Father," Johanna teased as they approached the front desk.

Abel's cheeks went slightly red at her reminder of their trip to Antwerp. While there, the priest had absentmindedly gotten one room for three people, forcing Johanna to share a bed first with himself, then with Leon the following night. As embarrassing as that had been, it had only been compounded when Johanna and Abel had awoken the following morning to find that the priest's hands had wandered during the night. Since then, neither Johanna nor Leon had let Abel live that one down. "Well, given the danger of our current situation, I really don't think having separate rooms would be a wise idea."

"Uh-_huh_." The Sister's eyes were positively twinkling.

"We don't have to share a bed again!" he whispered, looking around in dismay. "Just ask for separate beds!"

"Right," she smirked. "Well, I won't tell her Eminence if you won't."

"It's not like that!" he protested, blushing hotly, but Johanna only laughed, then turned to the concierge. "_Une chambre, avec deux lits, s'il vous plait_." (One room with two beds, please.)

"_Pour combien de temps_?" (For how long?)

"_Une semaine. Peut-être moins_." (A week. Maybe less.)

The concierge nodded, but gave both of them semi-amused looks. "_Un prêtre et une nonne partageant une chambre?_" (A priest and a nun sharing a room?)

Johanna shrugged with supreme indifference and remarked, "_Il n'est pas_ mon _défaut qu'il a peur de l'obscurité_." (It's not _my_ fault he's afraid of the dark.)

The concierge laughed and handed Johanna a set of keys. "_Chamber deux cents et seize_. _En haut et vers la gauche_." (Room 216. Upstairs and to your left.) He pointed behind her, and she turned to see the staircase leading up to the second floor.

Johanna gave the concierge a grin. "_Merci_." (Thanks.)

Picking up her bag, she led Abel up the stairs to the corner room they had been given.

Halfway up the stairs, he drew alongside her and asked, "What did you say to the concierge that made him laugh?"

She barely managed to hide her smile. "Nothing."

But like Abel, she quickly became all business as they settled in, finding the fastest way in and out of the hotel, as well as ways to get in and out that attracted minimal attention. She also helped him shift the furniture around to allow them access to the window if necessary, and moved a chair near the door so they could block it if they had to.

"You've learned well," he complimented her after several minutes, and she shrugged.

"Thank Father Tres, he's been drilling this into my head ever since we got back from Antwerp. Father Leon's been teaching me, too. I draw the line, though, at hiding C4 under my pillow." She stretched for a moment, rounding her shoulders to unkink them, then headed for the bathroom. "I'm going to take a minute or two to clean up, see if I can wash some of the trip off," she said, and Abel absently nodded as he began unpacking.

"So what's our next move?" he asked her.

"Hard to say," she called out to him over the sound of rushing water. "We don't know when the Rosencreutz is going to strike, although my guess is, they'll wait 'til nightfall."

"Why?"

"Draw less attention to themselves that way. Assuming, of course, that they are in fact going to strike _here_ and not in Londinium." She turned the water off and came back out, drying her face. "I almost wish I could be there if that happens, just to see the look on their faces before Father Tres blows their heads off."

"Hardly charitable thinking, Sister," Abel chided her.

"'_Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord_,'" Johanna quoted back, tossing the towel back onto the bathroom counter. She flopped down on her bed, dragged her bag over, and began rummaging through it for her notes. She spread them over the bedspread, and Abel sat down next to her as she pulled out a map of Lutetia.

"Okay, here we are," she said after a few moments. "_Saint Sulpice_ is here, _Notre Dame_ here, _Sacre Coeur_ here, and _Saint Eustache_ here. We've got four choices, and really no way to know which one is the _right_ one." Johanna rested her chin in her hands. "I don't suppose the bishops would be too thrilled about me asking if we could disable the organs for the forseeable future."

She caught the glare he gave her over the tops of his bifocals. "I didn't think so. It was just an idea."

"I hope that's not the 'surprise' you mentioned on the train," he said, and she shook her head.

"Nope. I've got something else in mind. Not my first choice, but it _should_ do the trick if necessary. But we're going to have to split up."

"Absolutely not," Abel said hotly. "You are _not_ fully qualified as field personnel, especially since you're still on medical leave."

"We don't have any choice," Johanna reminded him. "As it is, it's still a terrible gamble, but I'll take slim chances over none any day of the week." She pointed to the map. "Of the four, I think that _Notre Dame_ is the most likely target, especially given its proximity to the Louvre. And for pure psychological shock value, destroying Lutetia from _Notre Dame_ sounds like _just_ the Rosencreutz' style."

She moved her finger to point toward _Sacre Coeur_'s location on the map. "This would be my second guess for historical significance. So, I vote that you cover _Notre Dame_, while I cover _Sacre Coeur_."

Abel looked extremely unhappy. "I don't like this at all, Johanna."

"Neither do I, Abel," she said quietly. "Neither do I."

* * *

After Abel took his turn at washing up, Johanna gave him a cheerful smile. "We've got time to kill, what do you say we hit the Louvre while we're here?" 

"We're here to stop Lutetia from being levelled, not to go sight-seeing!" he protested.

"Well, we can sit in church all day if you'd like, but we run the risk of getting noticed and alerting the Rosencreutz to our presence here," she pointed out, but Abel wasn't convinced. "Come on, the Louvre is centrally located, too, and it's less than a mile away from _Notre Dame_. Hell, we could _run_ that distance if we had to. Come on, how often do you get a chance to soak up culture?"

"We live in the _Vatican_," he reminded her, and she rolled her eyes.

"You can be such a stick in the mud, Abel," she sighed, stretching out on her bed, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw the priest go ashen, and she sat up again in concern. "What's wrong?"

Abel turned away to face out the window, but not before she saw a look of profound sadness cross his face. "It's... it's nothing."

"Don't give me that," she said, getting up and moving to stand behind him. "What did I say wrong?"

Not looking at her, he sighed. "It's... it's just that... that's what Noelle called me. In Barcelona."

Johanna flinched, inwardly wincing at her inadvertent reminder of the other nun.

Abel went on. "We were having dinner, and she was... she was having fun. But I was... more concerned about trying to be responsible, like her Eminence expects of us."

"Oh," Johanna said softly. "I'm sorry, I..."

Abel turned around and rested his hands on her shoulders. "It's all right. Don't worry about it." With an obvious effort, he smiled at her.

"So, shall we visit the Louvre?"

Johanna's answering smile was radiant.

* * *

Unfortunately, their trip didn't start on the best note, when museum security insisted that they would have to check their weapons before entering. Even after showing their Vatican credentials, the security guards were firm. 

Johanna looked at Abel in consternation. "What do we do? Should we just leave?"

"It's either that, or we do as they say," he replied. "We shouldn't be here too long, though, so I don't see it being a problem."

The Sister shrugged, then removed her hip holster with the Peacekeeper and handed it to the guard just as Abel did the same. The guards then double-checked to make sure neither of them was carrying any other weapons, and then they were allowed in. Johanna, however, took some small measure of revenge by complaining just enough to get them both in for free.

"You didn't have to do that," he chided her in a whisper as they entered the main hall, but the nun just shrugged.

"Hey, if I'm going to be inconvenienced, I expect something out of it. What was I going to ask for, free souvenirs?"

Abel laughed.

For the next several hours, Abel and Johanna wandered happily from room to room, taking in the work of famous masters. At Abel's insistence, they went to look at the _Mona Lisa_, and joined the small crowd of people standing before the painting. Abel stared raptly at the picture, but Johanna was less enthused.

"You know, she doesn't have any eyebrows," she remarked, and Abel shot her a look.

"Honestly, is that all you can say? You're looking at one of the greatest pieces of art in history, the famous _La Gioconda_, and all you can say is 'she doesn't have any eyebrows'?"

Then he took a second glance at the painting, leaning a bit closer, and blinked.

"You're right," he said in surprise. "She doesn't. I wonder why."

Johanna shrugged again. "Don't know. Besides, I've seen the _Mona Lisa_ before. Not my favorite Da Vinci picture."

"Oh, really?" he asked, turning to look over his shoulder at her. "And what is-"

But just then the priest froze, and his fingers closed around Johanna's arm in a warning gesture. She looked at him in surprise, but as she opened her mouth to speak, he quickly pulled her away from the painting and into one of the side hallways.

"Abel, what are you-"

"Shh!" he hissed, his eyes sweeping over the crowd of people in the gallery.

Johanna craned her neck to try and see past him, but she couldn't tell what had spooked him. She waited several moments before her patience finally ran out, then she tugged at his sleeve. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"We need to get out of here," he said, his voice low.

"_What_?" It was only with great effort that Johanna managed to keep her own voice down. "Why?"

"We're being followed."

"How do you know?" She tried once again to see past him, but Abel blocked her way.

"I noticed it a little while ago. Same man has been following us from room to room. At first I thought it was just a coincidence, but he kept looking at us, and not the art."

"That's ridiculous," Johanna whispered back fiercely. "Who the hell could know we were here? We arrived only hours ago, and Lutetia has over two million people!"

"How else can you explain that when I was watching him in the glass that covers the _Mona Lisa_, I saw him talking into a communicator?"

"Maybe he's security," she said, still not convinced. "They might just be checking up on us - we did come in here armed, remember?"

"No," he said firmly. "Trust me on this one." He turned around and looked her directly in the eyes. "Please, Johanna."

She nodded. When it came down to it, she trusted the priest with her life. "If you say we're outta here, we're outta here."

But as they re-entered the gallery, Abel froze when he saw that the man who had been following them was again speaking into his communicator... and on the far end of the gallery, near the exit, was another man doing the same.

Grabbing Johanna's hand, Abel quickly pulled her back into the side hallway to head for the gallery adjacent to the one they were in, but just as he did so, the two men who had been following them turned and saw them, and began shoving their way through the crowd toward them.

"They've seen us! RUN!"

_To be continued_...


	13. Deadly Games of Hide and Seek

_Note: Well, I am trying to get chapters done for this story more often than once a month. With a muse in hiding, that's not always easy. And I do appreciate the patience all of you are showing, especially after the pace of posting I had established in A Slight Glitch. Hopefully, with some luck, I can get back to that. I don't know, though._

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part XII**

Pulling Johanna along behind him, Abel ducked around people as he ran, trying to put as much distance as possible between them and their pursuers. It was awkward holding on to her, but if they were to be separated, things would become much more difficult. Unfortunately, the two made such a sight that several people stopped and stared, but they proved to be a useful means of slowing down the men chasing them. It also helped that every other time Abel pulled her into a new room, Johanna would turn around, and if she saw their pursuers, she would point and scream at the top of her lungs, "VOLEUR!" (_Thief_!)

"Why not just yell 'fire' and be done with it?!" Abel snapped.

"Are you insane?! In a place like this?! I'd start a riot!" Johanna replied, glancing over her shoulder. The men following them were still being swamped. "Not that I hadn't considered it..."

They kept running, both of them wishing they had their weapons handy. Although starting a firefight in the Louvre was the last thing either of them wanted to do, the men chasing them were probably armed.

"Please tell me you have an _idea_ where we're going?" Johanna panted as they ducked down yet another hallway. "It feels like we're going in circles!"

"We have to get out of here!" Abel said, slightly out of breath himself. "Even as big as this place is, we have to leave here eventually! But with any luck, we'll be in the entrance soon. From there, maybe we can lose them in the passersby outside."

No sooner did they turn the next corner than they nearly ran headlong into another man speaking into a communicator, and only quick thinking on Abel's part kept him from noticing them when he yanked Johanna off her feet and behind a display cabinet.

"This is ridiculous," she whispered. "I'm not going to spend the whole time running around like a rat in a maze."

"What do you propose we do?" he hissed, looking down at her, but Johanna was already looking up and down the corridor for something.

"Aha…"

Taking Abel's hand, she quickly weaved her way through the crowd until they were standing in front of two doors, then she turned around and drove her fist solidly into the nearest display.

The chattering of the crowd was immediately drowned out by the earsplitting blare of an alarm, and in the momentary chaos that followed, she pulled Abel through one of the doors.

Abel blinked in surprise, then looked around him, and his face went beet red when he realized that she had pulled him inside the women's rest rooms.

"What are you DOING?!" he yelped, but she clapped her hand over his mouth and dragged him to one side.

"It's called applied psychology. Now _be still_!" she whispered, pressing her back up against the wall.

After several tense minutes, during which both Abel and Johanna were fully expecting the door to burst open and their pursuers to find them, the alarms cut out at last, and Johanna finally eased open the door and peered outside.

"Good, they're gone."

"What was that all about?"

"When I triggered the alarms, it put the entire museum on lockdown, which meant every guard in the Louvre was going to come running to this room." She looked over her shoulder at him. "Did you think those guys chasing us would want to still be there when the guards showed up?"

"But how did you know that they wouldn't come in here?"

"Who?"

"The guards, or those men chasing us."

She grinned, looking remarkably like a child who had gotten away with some mischief or another. "All of our pursuers were male, as far as we could tell."

"So?"

"Well, what was YOUR reaction to hiding where we hid?"

Abel opened his mouth, when suddenly he realized what she'd had in mind. "Ahhhh… and even if they had to search the museum via a room-by-room search, it's an almost inbred tendency in men to avoid entering a woman's bathroom."

"Exactly. But all this has done is buy us some breathing space. We still don't have our guns, and if they're watching the exits, we still won't be able to get outside."

"For now, that's true," Abel agreed. "So we'll wait. If you had to search a building this size, how would _you_ do it?"

Johanna thought for a moment. "Start from center of the top floor, and work my way down and out, stationing guards along the way in case they doubled back." Her eyes met his, and as she finally caught on to what he was thinking, she smiled. "You're suggesting we go to the top center of the Louvre and hide there."

"Smart woman. Let's go."

* * *

Carefully making their way through the galleries, they cautiously opened one of the stairwell doors, then waited for several moments. When they heard nothing out of the ordinary, they climbed the stairs to the second floor of the Louvre. Despite the seriousness of their situation, Johanna couldn't resist glancing around, then mimicking one of the many tour guides that usually helped visitors around the museum. "And here, you may see our world-famous collection of European paintings, dating from the mid-13th century through..." At Abel's glare, she fell silent. 

"Where are we, anyway?" the priest finally asked after a few moments. He located a map on a nearby wall, and together they considered it.

"Here," Johanna said, pointing. "This is the Sully wing. That one-" she pointed down the corridor to their left "- is the Richelieu wing, while that way-" she pointed to their right "- is the Denon wing. So what's the plan now?"

"We'll give them some more time to finish searching the museum," he said absently. "Then we leave under cover of darkness."

Johanna looked around until she saw a clock up on one of the walls. "Four o'clock," she murmured. "The museum closes at six."

"We'll stay here until eight. That way, even if this does turn ugly, there'll be fewer innocent bystanders."

"Four hours?" she sighed, running her hand through her hair. "And we can't even leave the top floor until then."

For the next two hours, they wandered the second floor of the Louvre, taking in the famous paintings while keeping an eye out for curious guards or the mysterious men chasing them. At a quarter to six, when the museum docents began announcing the closure of the Louvre, the two quickly ducked back into one of the bathrooms to wait. Just to be safe, they hid in separate stalls, Johanna near the front, Abel near the back. It turned out to be a lucky move, because a few minutes later, one of the docents came in.

Johanna promptly began gagging into the toilet of her stall, and the docent paused.

"_Madame_?"

"_Je ne me sens pas bien du tout. Je serai fini dans un moment, j'espère_." (I don't feel well at all. I'll be done in a moment, I hope.)

The docent cautiously tapped on the door of the stall, which Johanna had left open, and started at the sight of the nun bending over the toilet and retching. "_Oh, excusez-moi, Soeur. Je t'obtiendrai un verre de l'eau_." (Oh, excuse me, Sister, I'll get you a glass of water.) Quickly she hurried out, and Johanna leapt to her feet.

"Quick, let's go!"

"Where?" Abel asked, clambering down from where he'd been perched in the other stall.

"Men's room. She won't go in there to look for a nun."

A few moments later, they were hiding in the men's room, where through the door they could hear the docent speaking rapid French to one of the guards. Softly translating for Abel, Johanna told him that the docent was reporting that a nun had been ill, but had since left while she had gone to get water.

"The guards are saying they'll keep an eye out for me," she whispered, listening carefully. Then she froze, and her hand wrapped around Abel's wrist in alarm. "Someone is telling them to check the stairs... and to look for a priest that might have been with me."

She and Abel exchanged a panicked look. Was it possible that their pursuers were working with the guards? They couldn't tell, but after several minutes of silence, Abel opened the door of the men's room and glanced outside.

"They're gone. We'll have to stay up here a while longer, but I don't want to be trapped in that enclosed space. Come on, let's find a gallery or something."

A few moments later, they were in one of the larger salles with multiple exits, and they moved away from the windows to sit in a shadowed corner. One by one, the main lights of the museum began to go out, leaving only the night patrol lights, and out the window, Johanna and Abel could see dusk falling over Lutetia.

"Two hours," she whispered. "God, I hope the Rosencreutz doesn't attack while we're stuck in here."

* * *

As eight o'clock approached, Johanna sat huddled in the corner, her arms wrapped around her legs, her chin resting on her knees. To her surprise, Abel came over and sat beside her, sliding his arm around her shoulders and pulling her slightly closer. 

"Don't worry," he said reassuringly. "We'll be fine."

"I know," she said quietly, leaning into him. "I just hate the waiting... I think it's harder than the actual fighting."

For a while they sat in silence, then Johanna gave a soft chuckle. "Did I ever tell you about the time I got thrown out of this place?"

He looked down at her in surprise. "How in the world did you manage to get thrown out of the Louvre?"

Her lips were curved in a smile that was part wistful, part wicked. "Oh, it was easy. I was... twenty years old, I think. I came here to Paris with several other college students for part of my studies with the Classics department."

She shifted on the floor to get a little more comfortable, then went on. "Anyway, one afternoon I came here during my free time to just wander around on my own. I ended up in the Sully wing after a while, because I love Egyptian art. And in one of the _salles_, there was this statue of Horus that I was just drawn to, about so tall." Johanna held her hands approximately three feet apart. "I was fascinated by it, so I decided to draw it. I sat down on the floor near it, pulled out my journal, and started sketching."

"And they threw you out for that?" Abel said in disbelief, but Johanna shook her head.

"No. As it happens, that day was like field trip day, because I swear every middle school in Paris came that day, and the kids were just wandering around in flocks. You know, go in so-and-so room, make a few notes, then move on, not really paying all that much attention. Well, they saw this crazy American sitting on the floor, and started talking about me, not knowing I spoke French. I started talking to them, and then I found myself mobbed."

Johanna grinned at the memory. "The first group's teacher thought it was great, the second group's teacher thought it was great. We were talking about why I was there, and what they were learning, and having a great time." Then she rolled her eyes. "Then in comes the third group, and it happens again, only this time the teacher got all huffy with me for 'disrupting her class.'" She shrugged. "I pointed out that I had been there first, and theoretically her class was disrupting MY work, but she didn't see it that way."

"So what happened?"

"She complained to a security guard and had me thrown out for being a negative influence." Johanna momentarily laughed out loud, then quickly clapped her hand over her mouth. "On the way out, though, I complained to the guard that I had bought an all-day pass, and the museum didn't close for hours. So as soon as I was outside, he told me that he'd only been told to escort me out, not KEEP me out. So I went right back inside, went back to the same _salle_, and finished my drawing."

Her face briefly saddened. "What really annoys me is that on the trip, someone stole my sketchbook, so that sketch is the only one I have left, because I'd done it in my journal and not my sketchbook."

Abel looked up at the doorframes on either side of the room they were in. "You said the Sully wing?"

"Yeah."

"Well, that's where we are. What _salle_?"

Johanna frowned as she tried to remember. "Um... I don't know. It's been so long. I just know it was in the Egyptian antiquities section."

Abel rose to his feet, then helped Johanna up as well. "Well, as long as we're stuck here, we may as well take in the sights."

"You want to go roaming around the Louvre now?!" she said in disbelief.

"Do you have anything better to do?" he asked her.

They walked through a couple of the _salles_, then Johanna stopped abruptly. "Wait..." She moved to one wall where there hung a large map of the Louvre, and carefully searched it, her lips silently forming the French words as she translated to herself.

"What are you looking for?" Abel asked, coming over to stand beside her.

"I've changed my mind. One of my favorite pieces of art of all time is also here."

"Where is it?"

"Downstairs, ground floor, in the Denon wing. We need to get downstairs anyway, now's as good a time as any."

Silent as ghosts, they entered the nearest stairwell and headed back downstairs, pausing at each landing to listen. At the ground floor, she took Abel by the hand and led him through the dim halls and into the Denon wing, until they reached an enormous staircase.

"There." She pointed up the stairs, and Abel was astonished to see a floodlit marble statue at the top of the staircase. Over ten feet tall, it had an almost golden hue to it, depicting the body of a woman in flowing robes, with enormous, outstretched feathered wings, poised as though about to leap into flight.

"What is that?" he whispered, climbing the staircase without ever taking his eyes off the statue.

"Nike," Johanna replied, pronouncing it NEE-kay. "The Winged Victory of Samothrace." Her eyes softened as she looked at the ancient statue. "Never thought I'd have the chance to see this again."

"It's absolutely magnificent," Abel said, his blue eyes wide as he walked around it. "But it's such a pity that's incomplete."

Johanna stopped beside the statue and gazed up at it, resting one hand on the marble. Then she bowed her head and whispered in Greek, and Abel turned to her.

"What did you say?"

"'Watch over us, Nike, for we go to war. _Enantia stos kaos to idio_.'" She lifted her eyes to his. "'Against chaos itself.'"

_To be continued_...


	14. Traitors in Our Midsts

_Note: I know, I know - it's been ages since I updated this story. In my own defense... I don't have one. I mean, I could go on and on about real life, but that's what my LJ is for. On the bright side, thanks to NaNoWriMo, I've begun writing Book III already, and "Requiescat in Memoria" starts off with a BANG! (Which means now you know that Book II ends with the fertilizer hitting the ventilator, but I won't tell you how...)_

_Oh, and by the way - for all of you fans of Abel, Johanna, and Leon, there is now a MARVELOUS new desktop available of everyone's favorite threesome on the streets of Antwerp! Swing by my deviantArt profile to find it! And there's a new poll up on my profile page - how do YOU want the "Unexpected Results" trilogy to end?_

_So here we go again..._

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part XIII**

As Father William and Father Tres stepped outside of the aerodome in Londinium, they noticed two other priests waiting for them just outside the main building.

"Father Wordsworth? Father Iques?" the younger of the two asked, approaching them with his hands at his sides. "Welcome to Londinium, Fathers. I'm Father Michael Garrett, and this is Father David Solomon." He gestured to the older priest standing beside him. "We have been sent to assist you on behalf of the staffs at St. Paul's and of Westminster Abbey."

"Is that so?" William murmured, his eyes narrowing as he drew forth his pipe and lit it. "I wasn't aware that anyone knew we were coming." His gaze slid toward Father Tres, but the cyborg seemed perfectly at ease, so he decided to follow Tres' lead in dealing with this unexpected meeting.

"We each received a message from one of your colleagues, Sister Kate Scott," Father David replied, catching William's look. "It seems that she was concerned about a repeat of an incident you had encountered before in Massilia, where one of your witnesses, one Elise Wasmeyer, was abducted by someone impersonating a member of the priesthood."

William did indeed remember that rather unfortunate incident where he had been dispatched to the Franc Kingdom to assist Abel and Tres, only to have the Rosencreutz Order snatch Elise out from under their noses. It had only been due to the stroke of luck that he'd planted a tracking device on the girl that Tres and Abel had found her before she'd come to any harm. Trust Kate to have such faith in his abilities, he thought sourly, even as his mouth turned up in a slightly sardonic grin.

Father David turned to Tres, who had been watching them implacably the entire time. "I understand that you have some means of verifying our identities, Father."

Tres nodded. "Positive. Father David Solomon, you have been provided with a passage from the Bible as a password."

Father David straightened his shoulders, drew a deep breath, and recited, "'_And they remembered His words, and returned from the sepulcher and told all these things unto the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and other women who were with them, who told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not_.' Luke, Chapter Eight, verses 8 through 11."

As Tres turned to the other priest, Father Michael gave a slow nod, then closed his eyes and recited slowly, "'"_Therefore I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." And He said unto her, "Thy sins are forgiven." And those who sat at meat with Him began to say within themselves, "Who is this that forgiveth sins also?" And He said to the woman, "Thy faith hath saved thee. Go in peace_."'"

He opened his eyes again and smiled at them both. "From the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 7, verses forty-seven through fifty."

Tres nodded again. "Positive. Identities confirmed as Father Michael Garrett, Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, and Father David Solomon, Dean of Westminster Abbey."

Throughout this whole interaction, William's eyes had never left Tres' face. "You're telling me that you knew about this all along and didn't tell me?"

"Cardinal Sforza's orders were specific," Tres replied, although William would have sworn he heard a trace of apology in the other priest's monotonous voice. "In the interest of security, only Sister Kate Scott, Father David Solomon, Father Michael Garrett, and I were given the information to verify their identities as our contacts in Londinium."

"I don't suppose you know if Abel and Johanna have contacts waiting for them."

"Unable to confirm. Orders did not contain information on the mission parameters for Crusnik and Anomaly."

"I see. Well, now that we're here, what happens now?"

Father Michael gestured toward a car that was waiting for them. "If you will accompany us back to Westminster Abbey, Fathers, we've arranged accommodations for you at the rectory. I understand you have some concerns regarding our respective churches, but Sister Kate was reticent to discuss the matter, even through secure channels."

"Indeed," William replied as he and Tres followed the two priests to the car. "Although I fear that 'concerns' may be something of an understatement."

* * *

Along the way to Westminster Abbey, William filled the two deans in on what he and Johanna had learned about the Silent Noise system - how it worked, what its effects were, and the intelligence that another attempt would be made to use the system in Londinium. 

"If either of these churches were to be used, the death toll in Londinium would be staggering, to say nothing of the emotional ramifications of such a devastating attack," he concluded as they pulled up in front of the rectory.

"I see," Father David said somberly, looking troubled. "But how do we stop such a thing from happening? Both churches are so heavily attended these days that disabling the organs is not exactly an option."

"I'm aware of that. However, we have worked out the Silent Noise system's cancellation sequence, as it were. It's just a matter of playing it if and when someone tries to activate the system."

"And you don't know which of the two it is?" Father Michael asked.

"Negative," Tres replied. "It is a fifty-fifty chance that either cathedral could be used for the attack. There also still exists the possibility that the Londinium evidence is false, and the true target is Lutetia."

They got out of the car, Father Michael offering politely to assist William, then the four priests stepped onto the grounds of Westminster Abbey. For William, it was like coming home again, and he stood quietly for several moments with his eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of being in his native Albion once more.

"Father Wordsworth, are you all right?" he heard Father David ask in concern, and he opened his eyes and nodded.

"Quite. It's just been some time since I was last home. My roots in Albion run deep." William smiled ruefully. "Even in such troubling circumstances as these, I can't help but feel glad to be here."

His smile disappeared, however, as Tres suddenly turned to stare into one of the cloisters, his Jericho M13s in his hands before either of the deans had even seen him draw the weapons. "Tres, what is it?"

"We are not alone."

"Of course not, there are several others who live here, Father Tres," Father David said in confusion, but Tres shook his head and lifted his weapons, tracking something that only he could see.

"Negative. The person or persons who are here are armed. Question: how many priests or nuns stationed at Westminster Abbey are qualified to use firearms?"

"What? Why, none! We are men and women of God, and under the protection of Her Majesty, Queen Bridget II."

Tres did not turn to Father Michael, but the younger priest guessed that the same question would be put to him as well. "And before you ask, Father Tres, the same is true of the clergy of St. Paul's. Actually, it's unlawful for any private citizen of Albion to own firearms."

"Tactical analysis then indicates intruders are hostile. Recommended course of action is that you seek cover."

"But what about you-" Father Michael began, before gunshots echoed across the cloister, one of them scoring William across his right shoulder. He let out a startled cry before Father Michael shoved him to the ground behind a nearby fountain, Father David quickly following them. Tres stood there quietly, his eyes following the movements in the shadows before returning fire. Beneath the deafening booms of the Jericho's shots, they could hear a sudden scream choked off in a howl of pain, and Tres immediately then stopped shooting.

"Assailant disabled." He turned around to look at William. "Professor, requesting damage report."

"It's only my shoulder, nothing serious," Wiliam said through gritted teeth. "Fortunately for me, he wasn't nearly the shot that you are. He didn't come close to any place vital."

Tres approached and moved William's hand away to assess the injury himself. "Confirmed. Damage is minimal. Recovery prognosis optimal." In a series of quick, efficient movements, he tore strips from his cloak to bind William's shoulder, then he straightened up and turned back to where the firing had come from. "I will question the intruder."

"Father Tres, wait!" William pushed himself to his feet and moved forward as well, followed closely by Fathers David and Michael. "We'll come as well - it's possible that one of our new contacts will recognize the shooter. Don't worry, we'll stay behind you."

Tres nodded, and slowly they crossed the courtyard to enter the cloister, where they could see the figure of a young man lying on the ground, clutching at his shoulder and howling in agony.

"Justin!" Father David burst out in surprise. "What- how-"

William turned to the dean in dismay, having hoped that neither of them would recognize the assailant. "You know him?"

"He's one of my aides. He works with me regarding the administrative side of the Abbey." His eyes saw the lethal sniper rifle that had fallen beside him and he shook his head in denial. "But why, Justin? Why would you do this?"

"Because... they... are here..." the young man gasped as he tried to rise, his eyes fixed on Tres and William with a fanatical gleam. "They've come... to overthrow... Her Majesty... place Albion... under the heel... of the Vatican..."

"Are you mad?! How could you say such a thing?" Father David whispered.

Of far greater concern to Tres, however, was how Justin had known who he and William were, and he levelled one of the Jerichos straight at Justin's head. "Answer: how do you know who we are?"

For a second, it appeared that Justin would just as soon spit in Tres' face than answer the question, but on further consideration, he seemed to change his mind, and he ground out through clenched teeth, "Saw... the message... on Father David's desk. Recognized it... for what it was... a message... from the Vatican..."

William blanched at such a fundamental gap in security protocol, and saw in an instant that Father David was regretting it as well.

"Whose orders do you follow?" Tres asked, his voice eerily quiet as he gazed down the barrel at Justin.

To their astonishment, the young man smiled, then he seemed to bite down hard on something. They all heard a faint crack, and suddenly Justin's head lolled back as his body slumped to the ground.

"NO!" William cried, lunging forward to force Justin's mouth open, but it was too late - the cyanide capsule that had been hidden in his mouth had already done its work, and William bowed his head.

As Father Michael quietly began to recite the Mass for the dead, Father David's knees gave way and he sank to the ground beside Justin's body. "I don't... I don't understand... Justin has been one of my most trusted assistants for over a year. Why would he do this?"

"I fear that we may have been outflanked," William said heavily as he turned to look up at Tres. But as he looked back at Justin, his mouth tightened, and he rose to his feet. "However, we don't have any time to waste. If the enemy knows we're here, there's no sense in hiding anymore. Father Michael, does anyone else at St. Paul's know that we're here?"

"Not to the best of my knowledge, no."

William sighed and rubbed his eyes. "As much as it pains me to say this, I wish I could say that I believe you. Unfortunately, I can't. And to make matters even worse, we have no way of knowing if Justin alerted anyone else of the Vatican's intentions in this matter."

"Strategy?" Tres asked, reholstering the Jerichos as he turned to William.

The Professor's green eyes were pensive, despite the pain that was slowly appearing on his face. On the one hand, it was tempting to contact the Vatican right away to let them know what had happened. On the other hand, it would only cause needless worry, because there was no way Cardinal Caterina could dispatch anyone else to Albion to assist. He briefly toyed with the possibility of trying to raise Abel in Lutetia to warn him of potential attack there, but other than putting Abel and Johanna on their guard, it wouldn't accomplish much. No, he thought, the best thing to do was carry on and see this mission through to the end.

"We have no choice but to investigate St. Paul's as well. I doubt we'd be so lucky that we'd discover our opponent this early in the game - something tells me we've only just dodged the opening gambit."

"Positive," Tres echoed.

_To be continued_...


	15. Raising the Stakes

_Note: I think this is the longest I've gone without updating this story, and I sincerely apologize. I haven't gotten much of any kind of writing done lately - my muse has been focusing more on video work, it seems, rather than literary endeavours. I'm not sure I like that, to be honest, but that's how it's been._

_And don't forget the poll!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part XIV**

In the vastness that was Westminster Abbey's main cathedral, Father William gnawed idly on his pipe, staring at nothing in particular while he tried to plan their next move. Father Tres stood on watch at the nearest door, ready for the first sign of trouble. But William's eyes were drawn to Father David, the Dean of Westminster Abbey, who knelt before the altar, his hands clasped and head bowed in prayer. It had been a terrible blow for the priest to learn that one of his most trusted aides had been a traitor, and now William had the uncomfortable feeling that this mission was doomed to failure almost before it even began.

William sighed and rubbed his eyes, wondering why it felt like this day had started a hundred years ago instead of only a matter of hours. With the Rosencreutz Order involved, he'd known before they'd started that this was hardly going to be a picnic, but he loathed the mentally off-balance feeling he'd been unable to shake since their arrival.

"Would you prefer to find a place to rest, Father?" he heard, and turned to see Father Michael, Dean of St. Paul's, standing behind him with a concerned expression. "It might do you some good, especially after..." His voice trailed off, but the Professor saw the other priest's eyes go to his shoulder.

"Unfortunately, I don't really think we have the luxury of time," William sighed. "We need to determine the extent of the damage to this situation." He raised his voice slightly. "Father David?"

The other priest slowly raised his head and turned to look at William. "Yes?"

"I wish that we could allow you the time to pay proper respect to the dead, but I think our first duty should be toward the living. This mission must continue, or else all of Albion could pay the price."

David nodded sadly. "I agree. Do we begin by reporting Justin's death to the authorities?"

"I don't know," William said slowly. "To do so would tell our opposition that particular threat has been neutralized. It could potentially put them on their guard, making it harder for us to figure out what they have planned."

"What?" David was shocked. "You're saying we just... just cover up his death and pretend nothing happened?"

"Positive," Father Tres stated from his position near the door.

William sighed again and ran his fingers through his hair. "I agree with Father Tres. Until this threat has been resolved, yes, not reporting Justin's death may be the only thing we can do."

"But someone is bound to find out," Michael protested. "Unless you plan to just dump his body in the Thames, and even then, people will notice his absence."

"Hopefully not before we've sorted out our current problems. As for what to do with his body..." William mentally winced. "This is a church... simply bury him here." He held up a hand to stop Michael and David's comments. "I am well aware, Fathers, that this would preclude a proper funeral and mass for the dead. Even if he was the enemy, I wish I could be charitable enough to afford him those, as a previously loyal servant of the church and of God. But those must wait until the threat to Londinium is dealt with."

The two Deans subsided, but the AX priests could tell that both were not at all happy about the idea. However, to their credit, they set their personal feelings aside and did what they could to get back to the job at hand.

"Then what is our next move?" David asked at last.

"We'll need access to your office and Justin's. It's a very long shot to think that something even like a paper trail exists, but there's no harm in hoping, I suppose."

As the Dean rose to lead them from the main cathedral, Tres fell in step beside William. "Probability of finding information is low, Professor."

"Perhaps," was all William said. "But we have to start somewhere."

* * *

A few minutes later, David ushered the other three priests into the suite of offices assigned to the administrators of Westminster Abbey. Tres, in his usual blunt manner, insisted on going in first to assess any possible danger. 

"But, really, Father Tres, if Justin is-" Father David protested.

"There is no proof that your aide was acting alone," Tres replied, blocking the doorway. "You may not enter until it is safe." With that, he turned his back on the priests and began a methodical search of the offices - pulling open drawers, checking windows, his eyes sweeping back and forth alert for any danger.

"Is he always this thorough?" Father Michael asked in an aside.

"Yes," William replied with a dry chuckle. "It's how he's stayed alive so long, and why he was sent along with me to make sure I stay alive. Father Tres can take some getting used to, but he's certainly effective at his job."

Thirty minutes later, Tres re-appeared in the doorway. "Clear."

As the other three men came in, William glanced over at David. "Which desk is Justin's?"

David pointed to one near the window. "That one."

William sat at the indicated desk and began sifting through the paperwork there. Most of it was fairly mundane, dealing with the daily tasks of running the church. There were a few business contracts, financial statements, diplomatic packets sent to facilitate the comings and goings of church officials...

The Professor paused, and picked up the last few sheets of paper again. The seeds of an idea were already beginning to take root in his mind as his eyes swept down the pages one by one.

"Father David?" he called out. "Was Justin the one responsible for handling any matters regarding visiting personnel?"

"For the most part, yes. There are one or two others that liaise with different churches in foreign nations because of their proficiency with the language, but Justin was usually the one who dealt with such matters."

William was already reaching for Justin's computer terminal. "Something tells me that I'm really going to wish Sister Johanna was here," he muttered to himself as he began to type.

Tres had moved away from the window to stand to William's left. "What are you doing?"

"Hoping I'm wrong about something."

Going through the files on Justin's computer was not quite the daunting task that it might have been, given William's familiarity with Albion technology. However, the more he searched, the more he wondered if he was looking for the proverbial needle in a haystack. If Justin had used his position to undermine the AX's mission to Londinium, he could have done it in any number of ways.

Several minutes later, William had compiled a large amount of information, but had not told the others what exactly he was collecting.

"We'll need to also check the administrative offices of St. Paul's," he told Michael, who nodded and reached for a telephone on a nearby desk.

Only to have Tres grasp his wrist before he could lift the receiver.

"Father Tres, what are you-?"

"Negative. We have not determined if communication lines to or from this location have been compromised. Recommended course of action: proceed directly to St. Paul's Cathedral."

"You're thinking that by not giving them advance warning, our chances of finding something improve?" William said dryly.

"Positive."

"What are you going to do if we find a traitor there as well?"

Tres turned his emotionless eyes to William's. "That depends upon the traitor's actions upon our arrival. Acceptable situation containment responses include pursuit, incapacitation, interrogation, and execution."

"In other words, find him, stop him, question him, and if need be, kill him."

"Positive."

* * *

As they drove to St. Paul's, Michael and David rode up front, while Tres and William rode in back. Both AX priests could tell that the Deans were more than a little uncomfortable about the AX members being armed, but after spending several minutes trying to convince Father Tres to surrender his guns, the Deans had given up on the matter. 

It also hadn't helped that Tres had flat-out refused to allow them to take the same car they'd arrived in, and William could only hope that the priests wouldn't run out of goodwill and understanding before this mission was over.

As they approached St. Paul's, William leaned forward to tap Michael on the shoulder. "Don't park near the Cathedral itself. We'll stop early and walk the rest of the way."

"Really, Father, isn't that a bit..." Michael caught the expression on Tres' face in the rearview mirror. "Yes, Father."

The four priests got out and walked the last quarter mile to St. Paul's, with Tres walking slightly in front to assess any possible danger while William took up the rear. They made it to the cathedral without incident, but it did little to relax William's state of mind.

"Where is your office?"

"Over there." Michael led the way across the grounds to the rectory, but William paused as a sudden thought came to mind, and turned to the two Deans.

"Who handled the arrangements for our stay here in Londinium?"

Father David looked down at the floor. "Justin would have handled that, I'm afraid. As I said earlier, it had been planned that you and Father Tres would stay at the rectory at Westminster Abbey. But in light of today's events..."

"I agree," Michael said soberly. "I'm not certain that it would be at all safe for you to return to the Abbey until we've solved this mess."

William, however, looked pensive. "I'm not so sure. However, as long as we are here... Father Michael, who handles the diplomatic negotations for St. Paul's?"

"My younger sister, Erica." At William's raised eyebrow, the priest shrugged. "She does not quite follow the same calling that I do, but she has a good head for management and business. This is a temporary position before she begins advanced classes at Oxford next year. Ah, in fact, here she is."

A petite young woman had emerged from the rectory and after waving at Father Michael, was now walking toward them. Although she wore a habit not unlike the ones the AX sisters wore, hers was a dark navy, and her head was uncovered, leaving her dark hair free and loose around her shoulders. As she approached, William could see the strong resemblance between her and her older brother.

"Michael, I didn't know you'd be back already," she chided slightly, then she noticed Tres, David, and William. "Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't realize you had guests."

"Not at all. You already know Father David, of course."

"Yes. Good to see you again, Father David. You're doing well, I hope?"

David gave her a slightly wan smile. "Well enough, I suppose."

Michael went on. "Father William Wordsworth, Father Tres Iques, allow me to introduce my sister, Erica Garrett. Erica, Father William and Father Tres, visiting from Rome."

William bowed slightly to her. "A pleasure, Miss Garrett."

Tres nodded to her, but did not speak, and although Erica gave him a slightly nonplussed look, she smiled at them both.

"So you two are the priests visiting from the Vatican. Welcome to Londinium, Fathers." She turned back to her brother. "Will you be needing me at the office, or...?"

"Actually, Miss Garrett, we'd like to speak to you," William said quickly. "Please join us."

"Certainly... and call me Erica," she replied, walking between him and Father David. "'Miss Garrett' makes me feel like I'm back in the classroom again being lectured by my professors."

"If you prefer. So you'll be attending Oxford?"

"Yes, emphasis on business management with a lesser focus on religion." Erica blushed slightly. "I'm not quite cut out to be a nun, but I love the Church, so I figure that I'll let Michael tend to the spiritual, and I'll take care of the practical. Besides, it lets me keep an eye on big brother so he won't get into too much trouble."

William grinned at her cheerful attitude, then he sobered slightly.

"Erica, Father Michael tells us that you handle the diplomatic negotations for St. Paul's."

She nodded. "Yes... I make arrangements for visiting clergy, handle the transfers between churches, that sort of thing. Fairly humdrum stuff, but someone has to do it."

"Do you ever deal with others in similar positions at other churches?"

"All the time," she replied promptly. "It helps smooth the way for the transferring clergy to have someone on each end looking after matters. Like yourself and Father Tres."

Out of the corner of his eye, William caught Tres' sudden frown, one that he was almost certain was on his own face as well. "Erica, how did you know that Father Tres and I were from the Vatican?"

"Father David's aide, Justin, told me," she answered, a faint look of concern appearing in her eyes. "He explained that two Vatican priests were coming to Londinium to visit St. Paul's and Westminster Abbey. I was a little surprised that he knew about your visit and I didn't, but he assured me that you two would be staying at the Abbey, and that's why I hadn't been directly informed." She gave her brother a quick glance. "Otherwise I would have mentioned it to you earlier, before your meeting with Father David today."

Erica's answer had William's mind racing. While Justin had told her about the AX members' arrival, she hadn't known that Michael knew of their arrival as well, and that his meeting with Father David was to meet the Vatican representatives. William was almost certain that had she known, she would have said something to Michael before.

"Inquiry: what did Father David's aide tell you about our arrival?" Tres asked, turning to study Erica intently, who shrank back slightly as they entered the rectory.

"I tried to get more information from him about your visit, but he wouldn't tell me. Security reasons, he said. I figured that if the Vatican was involved, he was probably right, and didn't press him further." She frowned and paused in the main hall. "But he did say that he would send me over more information after you two had arrived. And now that you're here, maybe he's sent it."

Erica waved a hand toward the ceiling. "My office is right up the stairs. I can check and see if it's arrived."

"Please," Michael replied. "Thanks, Erica. We'll be in my office"

She took the steps two at a time and vanished around the landing while the priests headed down the main corridor.

"She seems quite an extraordinary young woman," William observed, and Michael chuckled.

A few moments later, Erica re-appeared at the top of the stairs, holding up a package. "Yes, seems it did arrive." She started tearing at the wrapping. "Although why in the world Justin sent it by courier..."

William's heart stopped as Tres lunged for the package, just as Michael was opening the door of his office. "No, wait, don't open-"

A thunderous roar shook the rectory as the corridor exploded in a white-hot burst of flame.

_To be continued_...


	16. Acts of Desperation

_Note: Okay, I'm back! Real life got in the way in rather horrendous fashion (if you really want to know, read my LiveJournal, all the ugly details are there). But now that I am once again gainfully employed (the annoying part about being a contractor is that you have to wait for all sorts of legalities to get hammered out before you can start working a new position), my muse is making her presence felt. And since for the last couple of days I have been having weird dreams and conversations with myself as I usually do when I have the urge to write, it's time to pick things up again!_

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part XV**

Abel cautiously peered around a corner at the bottom of the stairs, his ears alert to any sound that might indicate they were being followed. "It's clear," he whispered, and he heard Johanna's footsteps move up behind him. "Come on..."

For once not moving in his usual bumbling manner, he crossed the large _salle_ until he could see into the corridor, but immediately pulled his head back.

"They're still there?" Johanna whispered in frustration. "Damn it, I would feel so much better about this whole mess if I knew who they were!"

"Would knowing do all that much good?" he pointed out. "We're still unarmed, and we don't know how many of them there are chasing us around in here."

"Well, that's true," she admitted, rubbing her eyes against the darkness. "But we're not completely helpless. I mean, if you had to, you could always use your Crusnik abilities, and I-"

"NO!" he hissed, whirling around to glare at her. "We're in the middle of the Louvre, Johanna! Think about what would _happen_ if it turns out our opponents are Methusaleh!"

"But-"

"Absolutely not. You turn that power of yours on a vampire in here and the consequences would be _disastrous_. Not even for a last, last, LAST resort." As Johanna opened her mouth to protest yet again, he fixed her with another glare, and she subsided unhappily. "Besides, you don't think I didn't come up with a plan while we were sitting around up there, did you?"

"Which is?"

He pointed across the corridor, and Johanna could see the security guards' office just across the way. One of the guards was still stationed in there, watching the monitors while another was seated across the desk, going through paperwork.

"Okay, so?" she asked softly. "What's the plan?"

"The plan is, our weapons are on the desk," he murmured. "Now, I'm willing to bet I can run faster than you can. So what I'm going to do is duck back down this corridor and open one of the emergency exits. That should set off the alarms and draw our opponents toward me. When they do, you get into that office and grab our weapons. I'll double back to you and we'll escape out the front door."

"You make it sound so simple," Johanna said sardonically. "And I'm not a total invalid, you know. I can run if I have to."

Abel turned around and placed his hands on her shoulders. "You'll have to run soon enough when we get out the front door. I intend for us to head straight to _Notre Dame_, and even running, it'll take us several minutes to get there. Save your strength for when we need it."

"Wrong - YOU'RE going to _Notre Dame_. I'M going to _Sacre-Coeur_. That's what we agreed!"

"I didn't agree to that!" he shot back, barely managing to keep his voice down. "You absolutely cannot go running off by yourself, not under circumstances like these!"

"Abel, our chances of finding the right cathedral are one in four. If we split up, it's one in two. So spare me the male ego overprotectiveness and let's just get on with the job at hand." Abel glared at her, but she refused to back down. "The longer you stand there and glare at me, the longer this is going to take."

Abel turned on his heel and took one last glance both directions down the corridor, then began making his way toward a distant fire exit while Johanna stepped back into the shadows of the _salle_. As his footsteps receded, she began to shiver, hating the sickening feeling of waiting, but she knew that the time for action was close at hand. Sure enough, a few minutes later, alarms began blaring all over the museum, and she saw the two guards in the security office leap to their feet. But Johanna's heart sank when they pulled the door closed behind them and locked it before running down the hall toward the source of the alarms.

"Oh damn it all to hell," she said in despair, running across the corridor and trying without success to open the door. Rattling it, she tried to force it to open but it remained obstinately closed, and she pressed her hands against the window of the office, staring at their guns lying on the desk. "So close and yet..."

Growling in frustration, Johanna turned around, her eyes sweeping the corridor. Next to the office were two chairs, presumably where people could sit while waiting for security, and she seized one of them, took a step back, hefted the chair, and swung it as hard as she could at the glass. Her first attempt cracked the window all the way across, but it wasn't enough, so she let it fall to the floor, got a firmer grip, and swung it again, putting all of her weight behind the attempt. This time the window shattered, glass splintering to the ground in a resounding crash, and she threw the chair aside to scramble through the office window. She nearly slipped and fell on the broken glass as she landed inside the office, but she barely paused as she snatched up their guns. She didn't take the time to buckle the holsters on properly - instead, she slung both of her holsters over her left shoulder, threw Abel's over her right, and drew her .45. Without stopping to think, she dove back through the window again, and it wasn't until she landed on the floor with a muffled thud and a curse as her feet slipped on the tile that she started berating herself for not just going out through the office door.

"_ARRETEZ_!" she heard someone shouting in the distance, and the faint approaching sound of running feet, so she turned as well and began sprinting toward the near end of the corridor. But her run was abruptly cut short when she spotted someone standing in front of the doors that led outside, and she skidded to a halt.

Only to let out a startled and completely involuntary scream when the figure seemed to blur and leap _through_ her... and then something suddenly wrapped itself around her neck from behind and lifted her off her feet.

"Ab-" was as much as she got out before the arm around her neck tightened, cutting off her cry.

"Most unorthodox, Sister, but I'm afraid your gambit was unsuccessful," Johanna heard in her ear, and twisting and struggling in her captor's grip, she saw a tall, thin man smiing down at her.

With an extremely long set of canines.

The sound of running feet was getting closer, and she could hear the shouts of the security guards yelling at Abel to stop.

Gritting her teeth, Johanna writhed and kicked, trying without success to free herself, but the Methusaleh was far stronger, and he only laughed.

"Such spirit for a nun... killing you would almost be a waste." His smile deepened. "Almost."

"Let me go!" she choked, struggling to draw enough breath to scream, but it took most of her effort just to draw enough breath not to pass out.

"Now why would I want to do that?" he mocked. "Even if you were to escape us, after the bells begin to toll, a great silence will fall, and the Vatican along with it."

"No-"

His chuckle was cut short as Johanna closed her eyes, mentally braced herself, and just as Leon had taught her in their combat lessons, slammed her head backward as hard as she could, straight into the vampire's face. She felt his nose break from the impact, a sudden hot rush of blood sprayed across her neck, and his howl of pain in her ear was nearly deafening, but his grip slackened just enough for her to slide to the floor. Swaying on her feet and groaning in pain, all she wanted to do was sink to her knees and throw up, but there was no time for that.

"YOU BITCH!" he snarled, reaching for her, but bringing her gun around, Johanna whirled around and opened fire on the vampire. However, he'd recovered his presence of mind with disturbing speed, and moved in a haste-induced blur out of her line of fire so that her shots went wild, riccocheting off the walls. Shaking her head to try and clear it, she took a two-handed grip on her gun, aimed, and fired again, but again she missed, and she abruptly stopped firing when she heard Abel's voice coming down the corridor.

"JOHANNA!" he yelled as he sprinted toward her. "RUN!"

Firing one last time at the one who'd attacked her, Johanna turned and made a dash for the doors, Abel hot on her heels.

* * *

She was only dimly aware of Abel passing her as they vaulted down the steps, and the priest snatching his holsters off her shoulder. All of her concentration was going into staying on her feet and following Abel as they ran along the Quai de Louvre, leaving the museum behind them. It wasn't until they'd put several blocks between themselves and the Louvre, and reached the Rue de la Cite, that Abel finally slowed down.

Johanna nearly collapsed in a heap as they stopped, one hand pressed to her chest as she gasped for breath. "W-w-wait..."

Abel stopped and turned to look back at her, his blue eyes going wide as he took in her pallor. "What's wrong?!"

She put her hand to the back of her head and winced, then grimaced as her hand came away bloody. "T-there was... a vampire. He tried to choke me... but I hit him..."

"With what?"

"The back of my head." She shuddered. "I think... I broke his nose... but it... was gross. Leon could have... at least warned me."

"You could have said something!" he said in exasperation, turning her around so he could take a look at her head. "How hard did you hit him?"

"My head hurts like hell... and I just want to throw up," she groaned.

"You might have a concussion," Abel said, concerned. Tilting her head back so he could look at her eyes, he didn't at all like the half-unfocused look he saw there, and the slightly swaying movement of her posture. "Sit down for a moment. You're in no condition to run to _Notre Dame_, let alone _Sacre-Coeur_."

The Sister shook her head, and immediately regretted it as she would have sworn her brain was sloshing around inside her head. "No... I have to..."

"Johanna, it's three times as far to _Sacre-Coeur_, you'll never make it like this. You'll be lucky to make it a mile, let alone three."

"We're running out of time... that Methusaleh... he said... he said..." Johanna frowned in concentration, trying to remember his exact words, but she felt as though all the bells of every cathedral in Paris were ringing inside her head. "He said something like... after the bells start to toll, a great silence will fall... and the Vatican will fall along with it."

Abel went absolutely pale, and he turned away from her to stare down the shadowed street, his eyes narrowing as he tried to gauge the remaining distance to the cathedral. "And it's just after eight, isn't it?"

"What?" The apparent non sequitur puzzled her for a moment, but she nodded, this time being more careful about moving her head. "Yes... yes, I think so."

"Compline."

Johanna frowned, recognizing the term but wondering where he was going with this. "Well, yes, if I remember right from what Father Vaclav has been drilling into me about services..." According to the schedule of canonical hours, Compline was the last prayer of the night, the chance to meditate upon 'the final sleep.' "But I still don't..."

Her voice abruptly died away as she finally caught on to Abel's reasoning.

"Tell me, Johanna," he said slowly, "wouldn't it be the height of Rosencreutz irony to destroy Paris just before what we refer to as 'the great silence?'"

"The night that falls with no dawn to follow it," she murmured, her own face going pale. "I still don't know how they found us this quickly, but it seems their goal was to slow us down. Damn, I could almost admire the poetry of it if the concept weren't so heinous." Using a nearby wall, she pushed herself to her feet, gritting her teeth with the effort. "Let's go."

"Johanna-"

"I'll be all right..." She gave him a weak smile, trying to look reassuring, but the effect was ruined by her sudden wince as her brain seemed to shift inside her head again. "Come on, we've got a city to save, I can manage. Besides, it's my fault we're in this stupid mess in the first place. If I hadn't suggested going to the Louvre, we might not have gotten caught."

"You don't know that for certain, and you still look like hell."

"I've got my breath back."

"And you still look like a strong breeze would knock you over," he argued.

"Fine, then YOU go to _Sacre-Coeur_, and I'LL go to _Notre Dame_. It's only a couple hundred yards-"

"Even knowing that it's the most likely of the four targets?" Abel shook his head emphatically. "No, Johanna, absolutely not. You can't take on a Rosencreutz agent by yourself, and especially not in your condition."

"Maybe we'll get lucky and they'll be elsewhere."

"Do you really believe that?"

She sighed. "No. You're right... and you need to get moving... if _Notre Dame_ really is their target, we've got less than twenty minutes before all hell breaks loose. I'll give myself a few minutes to rest, then I'll make my way - slowly - to _Sacre-Coeur_. Okay?" Abel still hesitated, and she forcibly turned him around and shoved him a few feet toward the cathedral in the distance. "Go on, I'll be fine... I promise I won't die on you."

"Are you sure about that?" he said, more harshly than he'd intended, as he looked back at her.

"Me dying means that the RCO has the last laugh. That I won't tolerate, my ego would never stand for it. Go." This time her smile had a bit more conviction behind it, and he gave her a faint smile in return before turning and sprinting down the Rue de la Cite toward _Notre Dame_.

_To be continued_...


	17. Severed Ties

Note: I am so, so, SO sorry! I had no idea that it had been so long between my last post and this one! (I could almost die of embarrassment, honestly.) This gigantic break between chapters thing has got to stop. There's still so much story left to tell! But on the bright side, nearly a year after hitting the worst case of writer's block I'd ever had in my entire life, the adventures of Johanna and Abel are about to resume once more! So here we go again…

**IN ALL THE EMPTY PLACES, PART XVI**

Smoke.

Pressure.

Heat.

William fought to open his eyes, desperately trying not to panic when he felt a smothering weight on his face and body. Then he realized that the weight was in fact Father Tres, who had whirled around at the last possible instant when Father Michael had opened his office door, and Tres had thrown William to the floor to shield him from the blast that had thundered through the corridor.

"T-Tres…" he choked, pushing at the cyborg to try and extricate himself. "A-are you all right?"

"Significant damage sustained, but operational capacity remains within acceptable limits," came Tres' flat response as he levered himself up from where he was lying on top of William. "Requesting damage report, Father Wordsworth."

"Mostly unharmed," William said after a moment, quickly assessing himself for injuries. His eyes were watering from the smoke, his ears were still ringing, everything sounded as though it were at least fifteen feet away from him, and he yielded to the occasional coughing fit. But then William's eyes went huge as he whirled around, looking for Father David, Father Michael, and Erica Garrett. David had been standing next to him, while Erica had been coming down the corridor when Michael had opened his office door. He tried to call out, coughed, then tried again. "Erica… David… Michael…" The corridor was filled with smoke, patches of the ceiling and floor were ablaze, and part of the corridor ceiling had collapsed after the explosion had torn through the building.

Tres saw Erica lying on the floor a short ways down the corridor, moaning in pain. Once he was certain that William was all right, he made his way through the wreckage and quickly scanned her body. "She will survive."

William looked down the corridor in the other direction and saw Father David half-covered in detritus, and he started working to free the other priest. As soon as he was able to, he reached down and felt for the man's pulse, reassured to discover he was also still alive.

"What about Father Michael?"

But a charred and battered form near the office door made William's heart stop in his chest. "No…" He dimly remembered the ball of white-hot flame exploding out of the office when the door had opened, and Father Michael had been directly in its path. William swiftly crossed himself and whispered a prayer for the other priest's soul.

"Recommended course of action - we must leave this building," Tres stated after a moment. "The fire will spread and the rectory will become structurally unsound."

William hesitated, but only for a moment before nodding. "Help free Father David. I'll help Erica." Tres nodded and with no visible signs of strain, began to lift the heavy rubble that trapped Father David against the floor. William crouched down next to Erica, regretting that he could not take more care with lifting her, and slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's hold. But before rising to his feet, he saw the folder of papers she had been holding before the bomb in Michael's office had gone off, and he hastily gathered them up. Then he cautiously rose to his feet and began making his way out of the burning building, followed closely by Tres, who was carrying Father David.

Out in the courtyard, mass panic was evident as people were running in every direction, some toward the rectory, others from it. Screams, sobs, yells, and whispers were filling the courtyard, quickly drowned out by the howl of sirens as emergency teams arrived at St. Paul's to try and contain the fire.

William carefully laid Erica down on the grass, then sank to his knees beside her and began a more careful assessment of her injuries. While he was heartened to see that on the outside, she had appeared to only have caught the edge of the blast, he was not at all certain that she had not suffered any internal injuries as a result.

"Erica… Erica!" he called insistently, taking her by the shoulders and shaking her to try and rouse her, and she moaned again before her eyes slowly opened and she drew in a ragged breath. She tried to speak, but a fit of coughing overtook her and she tried to roll onto her side. Gagging and choking, Erica coughed up dust and phlegm before finally inhaling clean air.

"F-F-Father W-" she rasped, trying to sit up.

"Take it easy," he warned her, helping her to a sitting position. "Are you hurt anywhere? Are you in pain of any kind?"

She knew he was asking if she felt any pain inside her body, and she weakly shook her head. "N-no… but it h-hurts to breathe." Erica pressed her hands to her ears and winced, but suddenly her eyes went enormous and she glanced around wildly.

"Michael!"

Erica's eyes sought William's, and the priest lowered his gaze and sadly shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Erica."

She gave a sob and buried her face in her hands, and William rested a hand on her shoulder in silent sympathy. Glancing around, he saw others in the courtyard that were grieving for those who had died in the explosion.

"But why?" he murmured to himself. "Why bomb the rectory? It doesn't make sense."

"Insufficient data," Tres replied, also looking around. At that, William looked up at him, and recoiled at the sight of Tres' back. The fire had scorched his AX robes and scalp, but the cyborg seemed oblivious to his appearance. However, he was garnering quite a few looks from those nearest to them in the courtyard.

"How long will it take your auto-repair system to fix the damage?"

"Auto-repair system already working, estimated recover time approximately twenty-three minutes to regain optimal performance." Tres glanced over his shoulder at his back. "However, surface damage will require additional time."

"Not to mention a new set of robes," William remarked. "You can't go around Londinium looking like that."

"Positive."

A low groan from Father David made the two priests look down, and they saw him wince and put a hand to his side. "What hit me?" he moaned.

Tres knelt beside him, his eyes scanning below the surface of the other man's skin to assess the damage. "Right anterior seventh and eighth ribs are cracked."

William frowned. While it was important that Father David receive medical attention (not to mention himself and Erica), their status as Vatican priests could draw unwanted attention. William was also extremely reluctant to risk turning any hospital they were at into a possible combat zone if their unknown opponent made a move while they were there.

Tres seemed to follow his train of thought. "Erica Garrett - do you know of a place where we can plan in safety and privacy?"

Swallowing her tears, Erica lifted her head and glared at the priest. "Is that all you can say?! My brother's just been killed, the rectory's in pieces, GOD knows how many people just died-"

"Erica," William said softly. "Please try to understand… it isn't that we don't mourn as you do. But if we're to stop this insanity from happening again… we have to stay focused." His voice hardened slightly. "Don't let Michael's death be in vain. We need your help, and you'll need to be strong."

The young woman closed her eyes, folded her hands in prayer, and bowed her head for several moments. Then she opened her eyes again, and slowly nodded. "Yes… I will help you. For Michael."

William glanced up at Tres, then over at David before looking at Erica again. "If it's someplace with medical facilities, so much the better. But we're going to need to leave, and quickly."

Erica nodded again, and William helped her to her feet while Tres assisted Father David.

* * *

For a few minutes after Abel had left, Johanna remained half-slumped against the side of the building, her head still ringing like church bells and her vision hazy. She tried to breathe deeply and clear her head, but it only helped her a little.

Lifting her head, she squinted at the nearest street sign, then glanced around to get her bearings. "Okay… if _Notre Dame_ is that way," she murmured to herself, peering south, "then I need to go…"

She turned and looked around, getting her bearings, then trying once more to clear her head, she staggered down the street. She didn't get far, however, before a wave of nausea overcame her and she gasped, swayed heavily on her feet, stumbled toward an alleyway, fell to her knees, and retched. Desperately fighting down the instinctive wave of panic at not being able to breathe, she blindly reached out and braced her hand against the nearest wall, forcing herself to focus on the feeling of the stone beneath her hand instead of the overwhelming urge to inhale.

After several seconds, however, the spasms passed and she was able to sit upright, and slowly she drew in deep breaths of air. With a grimace, she cleared her throat and spat to try and get the taste out of her mouth, wishing she had some water to wash her face and rinse her mouth with. However, she did feel better afterwards, and she used the walls of the alley to push herself to her feet.

"I don't… have time for this," she gasped, spitting once again and then leaning back against the wall. It was tempting, so very tempting to just stay where she was, or worse, just to sit back down and fall asleep. But if Father Nightroad had been right, and she did in fact have a concussion, then passing out would have dire consequences. No… she had to keep moving.

Taking advantage of her momentary improvement, she pushed herself away from the wall and began an almost loping half-remembered stride from her high school track days. Unfortunately, she didn't get very far before she tripped and fell, landing hard on her hands and knees with a curse and a groan. The cobblestones under her feet were a far cry from the packed clay and dirt she'd been accustomed to running on, and her boots were nothing like the track shoes she used to wear. But Johanna's determination was stronger than her pain, and she pushed herself to her feet once more and again took up the pace. It wasn't the fastest gait she could manage or the easiest to maintain, but the rhythm and concentration of it helped keep her mind off the slowly building waves of dizziness.

"I've got to make it… I've _got_ to make it…" She repeated it over and over in her head like a mantra as she made her faltering way down the dimly lit streets, disappearing into the darkness.

* * *

Slowly making his way through _Notre Dame_'s vast interior, his footsteps echoing in the cavernous darkness, Abel couldn't help but be astonished and moved by the sight of the enormous cathedral. As impressive as the Vatican was, _Notre Dame_ had a breathtaking quality all its own. Even at night, the faint light of the city through the stained glass windows gave the place an almost palpably mystic quality, and the faint sounds of the wind in the highest rafters sounded like the echoes of a choir.

But then the room seemed to blur before his eyes and he was remembering a different cathedral, in a different city. One that was crumbling and decrepit, a broken pile of glass and stones.

One surrounded by a city in ruins… by lives that had been snuffed out like so many candles…

"No!" he hissed, closing his eyes and angrily shaking his head to dispel the memory of _La Sagrada Familia_. The Rosencreutz might have bested him in Barcelona, but he wouldn't let it happen again.

He _couldn't_.

Not if he wanted to ever make it up to the memory of Sister Noelle.

Drawing his revolver, he cautiously made his way up the aisle, his eyes sweeping back and forth for any sign of danger. There was no indication that anyone was in the building, not even a watchman, and Abel wasn't certain if he was glad or worried. While he'd hoped to find someone here, the absence of innocent bystanders at least meant that no one would get hurt if it turned out the Rosencreutz _had_ in fact targeted _Notre Dame_.

Abel would never have admitted it, however, but he was almost hoping that the Rosencreutz would show up here… because if they came here to _Notre Dame_, Johanna would be safe. The thought that Johanna might inadvertently walk into Rosencreutz hands made his blood run cold. But once again, he shook his head and forced his mind back to the matter at hand. Johanna was, as she so often reminded him, capable of taking care of herself.

Halfway up the aisle, he paused, then he remembered that in _Notre Dame_, the church organ was actually located above the main doors, and just beneath one of the famed Rose windows. If any tampering had been done, the organ would be the best place to start looking. Glancing up, he tried to see into the organ loft, but it was just too dark inside. He would have to climb the stairs and look for himself.

But he only got one step toward the stairs when a voice stopped him in his tracks.

A cold, elegant, and all too familiar voice.

"Well, good evening… Father."

_To be continued…_


	18. The Bells of Notre Dame

_NOTE: Has it really been over two years since I've added to this story? In my defense, a lot's happened in that time. I lost my job, moved to Seattle, found a better job, wrote ANOTHER book for a different fandom, and generally have been stupidly busy. But since I tend to pass the time at work listening to audio recordings of my favorite anime series (S7, TB, etc), I suddenly had the urge to write for dear Sister Jo again. So here we are._

_Thank you for waiting_.

* * *

**In All the Empty Places, Part XVII**

A loud creaking and a faint groan echoed through the dimness of the cathedral as the doors ponderously swung open, and Johanna fell through them to land facedown on the cold marble floor. Her body trembling and drenched in a cold sweat, her face absolutely ashen, she lay there for several moments, gasping and shaking.

_Please, God, please tell me I made it in time_…

Originally she had planned to run to the cathedral, but since the firefight and struggle in the Louvre, it was taking all of her concentration not to faint, so in the end, she had prevailed upon a friendly but confused passerby to give her a lift. It hadn't been easy to convince him that she needed a church more than she needed a hospital, but when she'd nearly burst into tears at the further delay, he'd relented. Still, out of some sense of caution or paranoia, she'd had him drop her off a block away, just in case the cathedral was being watched.

Every inch of her ached, her eyes could barely focus, and the nausea she had been keeping at bay by willpower alone was threatening to overwhelm her yet again. Angrily she swiped at the tears that were sliding down her cheeks, but despair nearly consumed her as she lay on the floor, shivering despite the weight of her robes and her traveling cloak.

_Abel was right… if the Rosencreutz found me right now, I'm as good as dead… but I can't give up now… I won't_…

She finally crawled on her hands and knees to the nearest pew to try and stand, but groaning, she nearly collapsed again, before forcing herself back to her feet and looking around.

_The organ… should be_…

Finding the door to the organ loft, it opened easily and Johanna dragged herself wearily up the narrow and dark stairs.

* * *

In the deepest shadows of the cathedral, something stirred. It was almost time to feed… and then to kill…

_

* * *

_

__

No!

Abel thought, his mind reeling at the thought that against all hope, every prayer, the Rosencreutz were actually here in Lutetia. ___Not him… not here… oh, please, Heavenly Father, help me in my time of need_…

His mouth opened and he tried to speak, but the words wouldn't come.

"_You can't protect anyone… you've already proven that. You stood by while countless numbers of people were slaughtered in Barcelona, including that sister who was one of your closest comrades. You've failed time and again at protecting the ones who are important to you, and this time won't be any different_."

Abel stared in mute anguish at the organ loft, paralyzed by his memories. _No… he's wrong_…

"Nothing to say, Father? No threats? No sermons? I must confess, I'm almost disappointed in you. But if I am to provide the entertainment for the evening, perhaps it's best if I just get on with it."

"No," Abel finally managed to get out between clenched teeth. "This isn't Barcelona, van Kampfer, nor is it Rome. And I don't care what you think, I _won't_ let you destroy Paris."

"Paris? Now there's a nostalgic word…" Another chuckle echoed down from the organ loft, and Abel finally saw Isaac Fernand van Kampfer lean casually against the railing to look down at him where he stood in the aisle, a cigarette held in his long, pale fingers. "But 'what's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet'… and no matter what you call this fair city, it will soon be nothing more than a heap of ashes around you."

Abel drew his Peacekeeper and aimed it at the Rosencreutz agent, who paid no more attention to it than he would have had Abel wielded a fan. Taking a long drag on the cigarette, he slowly exhaled, the smoke curling around his head in a mockery of a halo.

"Come now, Abel, you won't shoot me. You had to transform to your Crusnik form to even wound me last time, and even then, you couldn't make yourself kill me because of that ridiculous promise you made to the Cardinal-"

A single shot rang out, blasting a gauge in the wall just beside van Kampfer's head. For a moment, neither man moved, then van Kampfer turned his head slightly to glance at the wall with detached amusement. "You missed."

Despite the surge of rage within him at van Kampfer's needling, Abel's hand was rock steady as he kept his gun on the other man. "I mean it, van Kampfer. Step away from the organ and come down here. Now."

"No, I don't think I will." And with that, van Kampfer flicked away his cigarette, turned his back and disappeared again into the organ loft. Growling, Abel sprinted back up the aisle and took the steps three at a time until he rounded the corner and once again had his revolver leveled at the other man who had his hands poised over the keyboard. But before either of them could react, the communicator in his ear suddenly beeped, and Abel heard Johanna's voice, weak and unsteady.

"_Abel… are you all right? What's the deal at _Notre-Dame_?_"

Abel froze at the sound of her voice, and as he stiffened, van Kampfer turned to look at him with new curiosity.

"So, it seems that once again, you brought someone along to her death. Who is it this time, might I ask? The young Esther Blanchette? Puppetmaster would be most displeased at her demise, but in the end, _c'est la vie_, I suppose."

Abel ignored him, his hand going to his ear to activate his communicator. "They're here, Lutetia isn't safe, you have to get out of the city now!"

van Kampfer arched one dark eyebrow. "Let me guess… you came here to _Notre-Dame_ while your colleague the Sister went to one of the other cathedrals. How predictable… and I'll bet you even sent her to _Sacre-Couer_. I can't say I blame you, it's the logical choice, not to mention the safe one."

"Safe?" Abel repeated, confused.

"Indeed… _Sacre-Couer_ is over three miles from here. Even at maximum power, she might… _just might_… survive the destruction." Then he shrugged. "A pity, since her position isn't any better than yours."

"What do you mean?" Abel whispered.

* * *

The darkness slowly took form, and from behind the altar at the far end of the nave, six figures seemed to flow down the aisle.

* * *

Johanna sank onto the bench before the keyboard, running her hands over her face and breathing deeply to try and clear her head. Moving on instinct, she activated the power supply that controlled the organ's wind system, then began pulling out all the stops. She couldn't be certain that if the Rosencreutz had taken control of one of the other churches, they wouldn't set the system at maximum, so she had to assume the worst.

The background hum of the massive pipe organ was intense, like a massive beast waiting to unleash a roar that would shake the ground beneath it, but she barely noticed as she glanced down to make sure her feet were securely on the pedals. For a brief moment, a smile curved her mouth and she cracked her knuckles, just as she had so often in her youth before a performance.

_Now we find out if I still have it, even after all this time_…

* * *

"I mean that I dispatched some of my associates to _Sacre-Couer_ earlier this evening, just in case you _were_ cautious enough to head there instead."

"No!" Johanna versus one vampire was bad enough, but if she used her power to defend herself against a group of vampires, _Sacre-Couer_ would be destroyed just as surely as it would be if the Silent Noise were activated. Even worse, if she fell into Rosencreutz hands once again…

"No matter. Tonight's performance will be her requiem. At least this time, the good Sister will have the opportunity to die in a church. Holy ground would be preferable for your order, I presume?"

"Enough!" Abel snarled, rage overriding his fear for Johanna as he took fresh aim at van Kampfer, but it was too late. The Rosencreutz magician brought his fingers down upon the waiting keys, and the rich tones of _Notre-Dame_'s organ filled the vast cathedral.

Abel felt as though his blood had turned to ice in his veins as the song that accompanied his worst nightmares swelled from the pipe organ. Every night, it rang through his dreams, his worst vulnerable moments in sleep, accompanied by Noelle's screams and van Kampfer's laughter. Night after night he woke gasping for breath, crying out for the music to stop.

This time, however, there was no waking from the nightmare. Layer after layer of music, woven intricately together, resonated against the stone, carried through the church, and within moments, the bells of _Notre-Dame _began to vibrate.

"NO!"

Abel's cry was drowned out as the five bells of _Notre-Dame _started to ring. As massive as the stone walls were, dust soon trickled from the ceiling as the entire structure began to vibrate from the sheer power of the organ and bells, combined with the resonant harmonic of the Silent Noise.

A sudden growl made Abel turn, and he had but a moment to see several of the gargoyles within the cathedral animate and come swooping toward him with claws outstretched. He threw himself to one side, half-stumbling and half-falling down the organ loft stairs to escape them. As they pursued him, he opened fire, blasting at them until he realized that mere bullets wouldn't be enough to stop them.

"Nanomachines, Crusnik 02, power output 40 percent, activate!" he hissed, and his scythe was in his hand in less than a breath. Cutting down one gargoyle after another, their dark blood splattering his face and robes, he shouted, "Johanna, you need to get out of there now! They're coming for you! Johanna! JOHANNA, ANSWER ME!"

There was no reply.

_Not Johanna, too… no… NO… NOOOOOOOOO_!

Abel screamed in anguished rage.

"_VAN KAMPFER_!"

In a single inhumanly graceful leap, he sprang from the main aisle straight into the organ loft and brought his scythe down with all of his strength, a howl like the cry of the damned erupting from his throat. As the enormous pipe organ was sliced in two from the force of Abel's blow, it exploded in a blast of metal and sparks, but just as he had before, the Rosencreutz magician seemed to vanish and reappear… and then stopped.

As did Abel.

For a long minute, the two men stood there, poised to attack, listening intently.

What they heard wasn't the silence of a dead city… or even its death throes in the wake of the Silent Noise.

What they heard… was bells.

* * *

The door to the organ loft was blasted open, and the vampires swarmed in… but no one was there.

* * *

From the moment she'd heard van Kampfer begin to play through the open channel to Abel's communicator, Johanna had reacted, her fingers and feet finding the notes to cancel the Silent Noise's resonant harmonic frequency. For every note and chord in the Silent Noise piece, she countered it with the tones given to her by Father Wordsworth, a sweeping piece that had the cathedral's bells ringing of their own accord.

To keep all other thoughts at bay, she found herself singing in time to the music, part choir and part mad howl as she sent the cancellation sequence across Paris.

Occasionally she faltered, her fingers would slip, or she'd simply make mistakes, but those brief pockets of frequency were not enough to cause the damage that Archbishop d'Este and the Rosencreutz had hoped.

* * *

Ignoring Abel completely, van Kampfer headed up the stairs to the bell tower of _Notre-Dame _and looked out over Lutetia with curiosity. Abel silently followed him, scythe in hand, alert for any sign of trickery, but the Rosencreutz magician merely turned in a slow circle, searching for the source of the bells that were faintly carrying across the city. The sound of the bells eventually ceased, and there was a brief pause. Then all across Paris, bells began to sound from each church, chiming out the half hour before a peaceful silence fell once again.

For Abel's part, the sight of the city still in one piece was nearly enough to move him to tears.

"_Salva nos, Domine, vigilantes, custodi nos dormientes; ut vigilemus cum Christo, et requiescamus in pace_," he whispered, reciting the ending antiphony call of Compline.

"Interesting…" van Kampfer murmured at last, turning slightly to look at Abel with amusement. "You didn't send the Sister to _Sacre-Couer_ after all."

Abel, however, was now completely mystified. To the best of his knowledge, Johanna _had_ gone to _Sacre-Couer_, believing it to be the next most likely place to be used by the Rosencreutz to destroy Lutetia. But if she wasn't there…

… where in the world could she be?

_To be continued_…


End file.
